Cricket: World Cup

Despite already winning three games in the competition Ireland need to get something from their final two World Cup games in order to qualify for the last eight of the competition.

That need filters into the last game of the pool against Pakistan having lost by eight wickets this morning to World Champions India. Patrick Madden was live blogging all of the drama and a match report is to follow.

Irish captain William Porterfield said post-match that there are “a lot of good things to take from that and we go away slightly disappointed not to have capitalised on what could have been.”

Racing: Cheltenham

Tips-at-the-ready, the Cheltenham festival finally kicks off today and the main event is the Champions Hurdle. The talk pre-race has centred upon which horse jockey Ruby Walsh would opt to race, and Brian O'Connor thinks that his decision to switch from proven Hurricane Fly to stable-mate Faugheen is revealing.

“Certainly with Faugheen it appears the best is yet to come and that, combined with his unbeaten lustre, surely makes him the most exciting prospect at this Cheltenham festival.”

25-year-old champion amateur jockey Patrick Mullen has racing in his blood, and records in his sights. An Enviable book of rides leaves the champion amateur poised for success at Cheltenham this week, success he’s witnessed close up for many a year now as the son of champion trainer Willie Mullins.

He says the secret to his father's success is seeing the things differently, and having an ability to handle pressure and stress.

A rare consensus about Day One of this year's Cheltenham festival is that all four of Willie Mullins's Grade One hotpots surely can't win: and yet bookmakers predict the quartet of Douvan, Un De Sceaux, Faugheen and Annie Power will still become the most popular bet in racing history.

Soccer: FA Cup

Was this the worst case scenario for Manchester United; crashed out of the FA Cup last night, with former Academy graduate Danny Welbeck scoring the winning goal. Arsenal's 2-1 victory at Old Trafford now means Louis van Gaal's team will end 2015 trophyless.

Arsene Wenger hailed Welbeck after the game, saying that the English striker was "very happy" to score, after he broke the latest custom of not celebrating against your former club.

The FA Cup draw was also made last night, separating the remaining big guns Liverpool and Arsenal into opposite semi final routes to the final.

Holders Arsenal will face either Bradford or Reading while Aston Villa take on the winner of Blackburn and Liverpool’s replay.

Rugby: Six Nations

Ireland's injured quartet of Jonathan Sexton (hamstring), Jamie Heaslip (injured vertebrae), Sean O'Brien (concussion) and Jared Payne (concussion) will all train this week and are expected to be available for selection for the weekend against Wales.

While the respective recovery targets have all been hit so far for the four key players, it’s all been non-contact stuff to date.

Ireland will wait until the 7.00pm deadline on Thursday before making a decision on whether they will request that the Millennium Stadium roof be open or closed for the game. They will base that call on the projected weather forecast.

GAA: Gavin wants a Hooter

Dublin manager Jim Gavin says that the hooter would have benefited games and aided referees, criticising the GAA for dropping the idea.

Meanwhile the Dubs' hurling manager Ger Cunningham says the county need to learn to win in Croke Park. They've lost two from two at the venue so far in the league, and despite having a fine record at Parnell Park it'll be Croker where their championship matches will take place.

Golf: Irish Open

Dustin Johnson is the latest Ryder Cup player to be asked to Royal County Down by World Number One Rory McIlroy.

The player says that he is in talks with McIlroy about the option of adding the Irish tournament to his schedule. Already, Sergio Garcia, Rickie Fowler and Lee Westwood – along, of course, with the quartet of Irish Major champions – are entered and, it has also emerged, Adam Scott is considering playing.

What to watch out for:

There's both Leinster and Munster Junior Cup action today. In Donnybrook at 3pm Belvedere take on Blackrock, while down in Munster Castletroy face Crescent at 7pm in the first ever Schools Cup game to be played under the lights at Thomond Park.

Meanwhile Wales are expected to name their team at around lunchtime for the weekend's crunch tie with Ireland in Cardiff.

The big one today though is Cheltenham, with the pick of the races on day one of the famous festival being the Champion Hurdle at 3.20pm.

On RTE 1 from 1.20pm-4pm and RTE 2 from 7pm-7.30pm.

The Champions League is back tonight and after a shock defeat in La Liga at the weekend Real Madrid take on Schalke in their last 16 second leg.

TV3 from 7.30pm