Europa League: Balotelli being Balotelli
Liverpool put one foot into the last 16 of the Europa League with a 1-0 home first-leg win over Besiktas; thanks to the mercurial Mario Balotelli.
The Italian sealed the game with a late penalty, but as to be expected it was not without controversy. With regular penalty taker Steven Gerrard unavailable through injury, Balotelli brushed aside the pleas of his captain Jordan Henderson and main striker Daniel Sturridge as both were intent on taking the spot-kick.
Post-match manager Brendan Rodgers played down the incident, refusing to say who was the designated taker for the night. When asked who should have taken it he said; Steven Gerrard.
The game of the night though was at Celtic Park where John Guidetti scored a 90th minute equaliser to earn Celtic a 3-3 draw with an Inter Milan team who had led 2-0 after 13 minutes.
Meanwhile the FAI are set to extend the higher age limit rule so that council members will be able stay on until 75. It won't affect CEO John Delaney, at 47, just yet but it will allow the current line up of a council that, like its ageing board, has been supportive of the chief executive to stay on for an additional few years.
Racing: Cheltenham
Tony McCoy will race Carlingford Lough for his last tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup next month.
The soon-to-be-retired jockey feels he “has a live chance” having declined the option to ride on Holywell in the great race. McCoy will instead keep faith with John Kiely’s nine-year-old, who excelled in the Irish Hennessy at Leopardstown earlier this month.
Rugby: Stringer to Leinster
Peter Stringer's name may be synonymous with Munster rugby but Matt O'Connor yesterday aligned the former Irish scrumhalf with a possible move to Leinster as he looks towards the World Cup months and sees a hole at scrumhalf opening up in his side. The 37-year-old Stringer has already announced that he was leaving Bath at the end of the season.
Following his reckless kneeing of Jamie Heaslip last weekend French lock Pascal Pape has been handed a 10 week ban which will cut short his farewell Six Nations tournament. Gerry Thornley explains it's of little consolation to Ireland who have now lost out on their number eight for what's likely to be a month thanks to the now three cracked vertebrae in his back.
Meanwhile Wales are refusing to release winger George North back to his club Northampton for their top-of the table English premiership clash with Bath this weekend.
North has recovered from the concussion he suffered in the opening round of the Six Nations against England in Cardiff, and the Saints had hoped he would be available for the match.
GAA: Limerick stalwart steps away
The Limerick Leader have revealed that one of the county's hurling veterans Niall Moran has retired. The half forward had opted to hang up his hurl prior to the 2014 campaign only to reverse his decision mid-season. He had up to now been a regular starter for the Treaty county in the 2015 Waterford Crystal Cup and league but he felt that the going was too tough and he did not want to become a passenger.
Ahead of the weekend's second round of Allianz League hurling fixtures Antrim will have gained renewed confidence having defied most predictions to come within a point of Wexford in Wexford Park last weekend. Former player, manager and now hurling development officer in the county Dominic McKinley can see years of hard work with the county's underage squads finally beginning to pay off.
What to watch out for:
The Sigerson Cup weekend is upon us as the remaining four teams play out their semi-final ties this afternoon, with the final being played at 3pm on Saturday. There's an extensive preview of the games in today's paper and online.
Leinster and Ulster are in Pro12 action tonight. Leinster have named Cian Healy on the bench and he's likely to make a first appearance for the province since September.
TG4 from 7.10pm
In Ireland's group in the Cricket World Cup the West Indies will be looking for redemption against Pakistan following their defeat at the expense of the Irish.
Sky Sports 2 from 9pm.
