It has been another strong day for Team Ireland so far at the Paralympics, with four athletes smashing personal bests in Tokyo. In the pool Ellen Keane made a fine start to her Games as the won her heat in the SB8 100m breaststroke in a PB time of 1.21.71 - she swims for a medal at 11.40am this morning. Róisín Ní Riain meanwhile is into her second final in as many days - she lines up at 11.12am after another PB saw her finish fifth in her heats in the S13 100m backstroke. Away from the pool and Katie-George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal set a new national record as they came fifth in the B 1000m time trial. Ronan Grimes has also clocked a PB in the C4-5 1000m time trial, in which he is still waiting to find out his final ranking. You can read about what has happened in Tokyo overnight, and what is still to come this morning, HERE.
Stephen Kenny is to name his Republic of Ireland squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Portugal, Azerbaijan and Serbia later today. However he is set to be without Callum Robinson, after the West Bromwich Albion forward tested positive for Covid-19. In his absence a much-changed Baggies side were thrashed 6-0 in the League Cup by beleaguered Arsenal last night. In the night's other fixtures Southampton hammered Newport County 8-0 and Burnley beat Newcastle on penalties at St James' Park. The pick of the ties following the draw for the third round sees Manchester United welcome West Ham to Old Trafford, while Man City have been handed a favourable home clash with Wycombe Wanderers. City boss Pep Guardiola could be on his way out of the club when his current contract expires in 2023 - he has said he would like to manage a national team next. Meanwhile City's hopes of signing Harry Kane this summer seem to have disappeared after the England captain confirmed yesterday he would be staying at Tottenham this summer.
In his column this morning Ciaran Murphy has questioned the comments of Tyrone joint-manager Feargal Logue, who said vaccination was not mandatory for his players and that it was a "conundrum." And he suggests this stance means Tyrone were lucky the GAA agreed to postpone the All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry after their panel was struck with a Covid-19 outbreak. He writes: "You can make a decision which you think is informed about declining vaccination, or you can plead leniency (and then apply pressure for further leniency) when Covid spreads like wildfire - 20 positive tests! - through your camp, but in my opinion you can't do both."
Elsewhere in today's America at Large column Dave Hannigan has looked at the "odious antics" of football coach Richie Burke, the disgraced former boss of Washington Spirit in the NWSL. Burke recently resigned from the role weeks before the Washington Post published a story about his "toxic regime" - and the incident reflects how far professional women's football in the USA still has to go. As Hannigan writes, it's: "Two steps forward, one step….yeah."
Shamrock Rovers will rage against the dying of the light tonight as they bid to overturn a 4-2 first leg deficit against Estonia's Flora Tallinn in Tallaght. The Europa Conference League play-off is live on RTE 2, kick-off 7.45pm.
And England took a firm grip on the third Test against India in Leeds yesterday, with the James Anderson-inspired hosts skittling the tourist for 78 before reaching 120-0 at close. Play on day two gets underway at 11am.
