The Morning Sports Briefing

Dominating today's headlines is the news Republic of Ireland assistant manager Roy Keane was involved in an altercation with a supporter at the team hotel last night.

Gardai and an ambulance were called after the incident occured outside the Portmanock Hotel and Golf Links where the side are staying ahead of Friday night’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Scotland in Glasgow.

After the usual flurry of Twitter rumours and 'In the know' gossip, including comical suggestions such as Keane lamped the fan because he born in Scotland but opted to support Ireland, the FAI have issued a statement giving their full support to the Cork man.

They complained of “innacurate media reporting” and made it clear it was Keane who called the Gardai himself.

What started the altercation is still unknown, but it’s unlikely it came from an argument over the relative merits of the Rosetta comet landing.

Race against time

Amid the team hotel chaos Ireland midfielder James McCarthy is losing his battle to be fit in time to play at Celtic Park.

McCarthy, celebrating his 24th birthday, was limited to a stroll around the pitch in training yesterday, and manager Martin O’Neill has suggested the Everton player will need to put in a serious shift in today’s final session if he is to be considered for selection.

Nae sympathy here

If McCarthy fails to recover from his hamstring injury, which he picked up in Everton’s 1-1 draw at Sunderland on Sunday, Glasgow-born Aiden McGeady will be left to face the ire of the Celtic Park crowd on his own.

The Tartan Army have been gearing up to do a lot of booing to show their disguntlement McGeady and McCarthy opted to play in green rather than blue, and the pair's Everton teammate Steven Naismith has offered little sympathy.

Striker Naismith lined up against McGeady in boys’ football and shares his club dressing room with McCarthy and Darron Gibson, but he was typically Scottish when asked about current relations with the three: “That’s it... nae friends for a week.”

Roche >Robin

Now, Robin Van Persie’s flying dutchman? Tim Cahill’s Marco Van Basten? James Rodriguez’ chest and volley?

The World Cup tends to provide goals for the ages, but a wonder strike from Peamount United's Stephanie Roche could trump them all.

Roche, 25, from Shankhill Co. Dublin, has been nominated for FIFA’s Puskas award for the best goal of the year.

The goal came in a Women’s National League match against Wexford Youths and it is an absolute snorter.

Mover over Zlatan. Vote for Steph.

Sexton is the bomb

After marshalling Ireland to a rousing, spine-tingling 29-15 win over South Africa on Saturday, out-half Jonathan Sexton has been nominated for a gong himself.

The Racing Metro 92 player is on the shortlist for the IRB World Rugby Player of the Year award, but surely it’d be much better for him to win it next year so he can add it to the Webb Ellis Cup.