Soccer
As the build-up to Ireland's Euro 2016 play-off with Bosnia and Herzegovina continues, Martin O'Neill is holding out as long as possible to see if a number of his players are fit before finalising his squad.
O’Neill is expected to give an update as to the fitness of Rob Elliot today and is also hopeful that Shane Long and John O’Shea can feature over the two legs.
The Ireland squad gathered yesterday for training in Abbotstown with Séamus Coleman speaking of his desire to reach a major championship after being left out of Giovanni Trapattoni's squad for Euro 2012.
“I’d be gutted [retiring without playing in a major tournament]. I don’t want to finish without playing for Ireland at a big tournament. Growing up as a kid, I’m a fan. I’m playing but I’m a fan, and I want my friends to be out there supporting me, my town to be supporting me and it’s something that I want to do,” the Killybegs man said.
Domestically, the PFAI list of League of Ireland players out of contract and looking for a new club was published yesterday, with three Cork City players included just a day after they lost the FAI Cup final to Dundalk.
Athletics
Yesterday’s Wada report into doping in international athletics is set to cause quite a stir and is already doing so.
The independent report has accused Russia of running a "state-sponsored doping programme".
The 323-page document found that the 2012 London Olympics were “sabotaged” by the “widespread inaction” against Russian athletes. The report could lead to a ban on Russian athletes from next summer’s Rio games.
Athletics correspondent Ian O'Riordan has analysed the findings and writes that, if Russia is just the tip of the iceberg, then the levels of doping in athletics could be insurmountable.
“Given the now irrefutably damning evidence that athletics is nowhere near the level playing field it is meant to be, one immediate question arises: can it ever? The question then extends to the entire landscape of global sport.”
Rugby
As Champions Cup kick-off edges closer Gerry Thornley has been looking at how the glory days of Irish provinces in Europe are over.
“Toulon have led the post-World Cup transfer coups, with Ma’a Nonu, Duane Vermeulen and Quade Cooper amongst their latest batch of A-list recruits; yet further evidence of the ever-increasing financial clout of those French and English clubs backed by private benefactors. Salary caps anyone?”
In Champions Cup news Rob Kearney is set to miss Leinster's opener with Wasps due to a hamstring tear while Rory Best is hopeful that Ulster can banish their poor away form in their first game against Oyonnax.
GAA
Dublin football supporters are to be handed a championship road trip for the first time in a decade next summer, according to county chairman Seán Shanley.
Dublin’s top official has suggested it is a “done deal” that the Leinster Council will confirm a provincial venue for Dublin’s opening championship game of 2016 when they meet on Wednesday night to confirm arrangements.
Golf
In Spain both Paul Dunne and Headfort's Brian Casey finished in the top-18 of their respective qualifying sections to reach the final stage of European Tour Q-School. Both now need a top-25 finish at PGA Catalunya, starting on Saturday, to receive a European Tour card for the 2016 season. They will tee it up alongside Peter Lawrie, Damien McGrane, Simon Thornton, Kevin Phelan and Ruaidhrí McGee.
In the European Tour Final Series, Danny Willett will have the chance this week to overtake Rory McIlroy at the summit of the Order of Merit.
Both Willett and Shane Lowry will play in the BMW Masters this week as they look to close the gap on the world number three while McIlroy takes a week off before returning for the Dubai World Championship on Thursday week.
