Victory in tonight's Europa League final could silence many of Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær's critics. By beating Villarreal the club can end a four-year trophy drought and build momentum to challenge in the Premier League or Champions League in the coming seasons. Solskjær wants his team to win to honour Matt Busby's birthday, but they'll likely have to do so without captain Harry Maguire.

Clare GAA are standing by hurling manager Brian Lohan's comments on how two players ended up being designated as "close contacts" for Covid purposes after the league meeting with Wexford in Ennis the week before last. Lohan told RTÉ his players had been "nominated as close contacts" by Wexford hurlers. Darragh Ó Sé's column returns today and he looks back on Kerry and Dublin's draw last weekend: "Kerry can match Dublin in terms of skill and in terms of football. But when it really matters, I don't see them matching the Dubs for physicality and power."

Organisers of July's British Open are optimistic they will be able to operate at up to 75 per cent crowd capacity for the four days at St George's. Defending champion Shane Lowry is delighted his title defence will be in front of crowds: "I just love Major championships. I just love big weeks. I love the atmosphere. To be honest, last year when we played the PGA and the US Open and the Masters with no crowds I felt like I struggled. I felt like it was just hard to kind of get yourself to that level where the intensity that you really wanted to be at."

Meanwhile, Irish racing's regulator has got the long-awaited "authorised officer" status required for officials to carry out drug testing on thoroughbreds in premises it doesn't license.