Soccer
After the remainder of the Champions League third round ties were completed last night the number of possible opponents for Dundalk in Friday’s playoff draw is reduced to five.
The biggest of the five being Celtic, who thanks to a last minute Moussa Dembele penalty edged FC Astana 2-1 (3-2 on aggregate) last night at Celtic Park. The other four clubs are Legia Warsaw from Poland, Cypriot champions Apoel Nicosia, Czech side Viktoria Plzen and Giovanni Trapattoni’s former club FC Salzburg.
Tonight Cork City aim to emulate Dundalk with some Europa League heroics - seeking to overturn a one-goal deficit against KRC Genk at Turner's Cross.
Meanwhile Manchester City have beaten the likes of Barcelona, and their city rivals United, to the signing of Gabriel Jesus for €32 million. The acquisition of the 19-year-old Brazilian attacker brings Pep Guardiola's summer spending to around €119million.
GAA
Dublin manager Jim Gavin has declared James McCarthy fit and available for Saturday's quarter-final meeting with Donegal. Gavin insists though that the Dubs will not be after revenge, against the team who humbled them in the last four two summer's ago.
This week's GAA Statistics column is focused on how the Dublin defence has adapted since that defeat - largely due to the deployment of centre back Cian O'Sullivan.
Rugby
Johan "Rassie" Erasmus is six weeks into his new role as Munster's first director of rugby, he caught up with John O'Sullivan to explain how he is beginning to see things clearly at Thomond Park. "The most important thing is to have Munster guys helping drive the Munster culture."
Golf
In his column this morning Shane Lowry says that all of his eggs are going in the Ryder Cup basket - "The team has almost picked itself at the minute and I'm just off the pace and I want to give Darren and his vice-captains something to think about. It means so much to me, and that's why I'm going to Denmark instead of the Barclays."
Women In Sport
Sonia O'Sullivan believes that Katie Taylor will relish the doubt that surrounds her ahead of the upcoming Rio Olympics. "I'm sure she will relish the uncertainty that comes with that, and will know in her own mind what she is capable of producing. It's the chance to prove exactly how good she is."
What to watch out for
Cork City and Genk gets underway at 7.45pm.
Eir Sport 1 from 7.15pm
Shane Lowry and Padraig Harrington are in action in the first round of the Cromwell Travelers Championship.
Sky Sports 4, 8pm-11pm
