Soccer: Euro 2016
Ireland go into tonight’s Euro 2016 second leg play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina with the advantage - but it’s certainly not something manager Martin O’Neill wants to affect his team’s approach.
After Friday night's 1-1 draw in the fog in Zenica, Ireland carry an often crucial away goal to Dublin tonight, yet O'Neill believes any notion of his team parking on the edge of their box for 90 minutes in pursuit of a goalless draw would be well off the mark. A "recipe for disaster" even.
On the injury front both John O’Shea and Shane Long returned to training on Sunday, and while Daryl Murphy is a doubt Ireland will have Jon Walters back from suspension and almost certain to resume his starting role.
In last night’s other play-off fixture Hungary booked a return to major tournament football for the first time in 30 years with a 3-1 aggregate victory over Norway.
Rugby: Champions Cup
Meanwhile Leinster head coach Leo Cullen admits that his side’s nightmarish start to this year’s European Champions Cup on Sunday has left them with an uphill climb in the competition.
The 33-6 defeat to Wasps, in the RDS - "pretty awful" according to Cullen.
“We have a mountain to climb. It leaves us scrambling. It is a lot of dejection in the dressing room there. It is important that we dust ourselves off as it is a short turnaround. That’s all we can focus on.
“Yeah, across the board, that level of performance is unacceptable. We need to be better than that.”
Leinster now have to prepare for next weekend’s game, with Seán O’Brien officially undergoing head injury assessment tests, along with Mike McCarthy and Richardt Strauss, the incline keeps rising.
GAA: Club scene
Dublin champions Cuala defeated Kilkenny's Clara to reach the Leinster hurling finalon Sunday, with Crossmaglen also beating Kilcoo to reach a first provincial decider in three years. There were wins too for Nemo Rangers against Killarney Legion in Munster, and Scotstown in the other Ulster football semi-final thanks to a Darren Hughes masterclass. Tipperary's Clonmel Commercials also became the first side in the county to reach a Munster football final in 21 years.
Golf
Graeme McDowell is in a share of the final-round lead in the OHL Classic at Mayakoba in Mexico, with play being suspended due to darkness and set to resume at midday today (Irish time). He is six-under for the round after 13 holes, sharing the lead with Scotland’s Russell Knox.
What to watch out for
Rep of Ireland v Bosnia & H’ kicks off in the Aviva at 7.45pm.
RTÉ 2 from 7pm
In tennis the ATP World Tour Finals are live on Sky Sports and BBC tonight.
Sky Sports 1, noon-4pm, Sky Sports 2, 6pm-10pm
