Dundalk's Champions League dream is over, after they were beaten 3-0 away to Azerbaijan side Qarabag last night. Vinny Perth's side went into the second leg with everything to play for after a 1-1 draw at Oriel Park last week, however a 12th minute Jaime Romero goal left them with a mountain to climb in Baku. The League of Ireland champions stayed in the game until the 76th minute when Ailton effectively ended the tie - before Romero rubbed salt into the wounds with a third late on. After the match, Perth was magnanimous: "I said it was one of the best sides we had ever faced and I think we have seen that. We just had a discussion there and it's half-time in our European adventure. That's where we want to get to." Dundalk's European odyssey is not over, with the Europa League qualifiers and a trip to play Slovan Bratislava now beckoning. Tonight Shamrock Rovers head to Apollon Limassol of Cyprus defending a 2-1 lead in their Europa clash.
Elsewhere in today's GAA Statistics column Eamon Donoghue has looked at Mayo's faltering kick-out ahead of Saturday night's do-or-die clash with Donegal at MacHale Park. James Horan's side have struggled to find rhythm and form in this year's championship, something he suggests is partly down to the quality of goalkeeper David Clarke's restarts: Big Aidan is the country's best ball winning midfielder, but he has not been dominating his own team's restarts as you would expect. That's one of the reasons why Mayo have retained only 74 per cent of their own kick-outs so far this summer (not including the New York preliminary round match), and they have not won any more than 78 per cent in any single match." And he feels a change in personnel between the sticks could be the answer to Mayo's problems: "Clarke has dealt with every single high ball that's come in on top of him this summer (as did Rob Hennelly against Roscommon and on seven occasions in the league final), and he has saved a very impressive six out of the 10 shots at his goal in those five matches. He is a top quality goalkeeper and a master of the basics. But in terms of distribution, from play and restarts especially, Hennelly offers a lot more."
Borice (9-1) gave Gordon Elliott a third Plate success in four years at the Galway Festival last night, after a thrilling finish in the day three feature at Balybrit. Luke Dempsey produced the long-time antepost favourite with aplomb to see off English raider and top weight Black Corton in a thrilling finish - narrowly denying Bryony Frost a famous victory. Afterwards, Elliott said: "I thought it was too dry for him and I was 'umming' and 'ahhing' about whether to run him. This has been a lucky race for us. We thought he was [our leading contender] all along." Today's feature is the Galway Hurdle (4.55pm), with Joseph O'Brien's Band Of Outlaws currently a 4-1 favourite. Day four's card is earlier, getting underway at 2.0pm.
One of sport's greatest rivalries is renewed today, with England taking on Australia at Edgbaston in the opening day of the opening Test of The Ashes. Joe Root's side are bidding to regain the Urn after a galling 4-0 defeat Down Under 18 months ago, and have opted to leave out World Cup hero Joffra Archer in favour of local hero Chris Woakes for the opener in Birmingham.
And in her column this morning Sonia O'Sullivan has looked at the way people react differently to certain athletes when they have been found to fail drugs tests - particularly Chinese swimmer Sun Yang, and 20-year-old Australian swimmer Shanya Jack. She writes: "Then you think maybe we should read some more on the details of Sun. He comes across as brash and arrogant, yet full of self-belief. His coach is also Australian, which you think might be in his favour. Then along comes Jack, and her story is told over and over again with mostly innocent details that make you want to believe her."
