Sport

The Morning Sports Briefing

Keano’s Ireland contribution doesn’t end now, the transfer window closes and Shane Lowry talks Ryder Cup disappointment

Ireland’s Robbie Keane celebrates scoring in his final game. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Thu Sept 01 2016 - 08:58

Soccer

Robbie Keane last night signed off on his Irish career doing what he does best - scoring his 68th international goal on his 146th and final Irish appearance.

In a 4-0 win over Oman at the Aviva, Keane, Robbie Brady and Jon Walters (twice) were among the goals with Martin O’Neill’s team hardly made to work up a sweat.

Ken Early writes in this morning's Irish Times that Keane's Ireland contribution doesn't end now however - "You can easily imagine a situation where even a young and inexperienced Coach Keane might be the highest-profile candidate interested in the job. So, some of the biggest years of his Ireland career may yet lie ahead. There might even come a day when he is booed out of the stadium: it happens eventually to most of the Ireland managers."

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Last night's transfer deadline day proved a relatively busy one - the big movers being David Luiz making a surprise return to Chelsea from PSG, Tottenham snatching Moussa Sissoko from Everton's grasp just before deadline, and Jack Wilshere choosing Bournemouth to spend his season-long loan.

Golf

Shane Lowry's column this morning is on the disappointment of him missing out on a Ryder Cup spot. "At the end of the day, it's my own fault. Darren was right. I didn't perform when it mattered."

Women In Sport

You'd think that the running section of a triathlon would be Sonia O'Sullivan's strong point - but it's not - she explains this morning why she now finds a 10km run so hard. "A 10km run has never felt so difficult, and it was all down to lack of preparation and structure in my regular training routine..."

Tennis

World number three Garbine Muguruza has crashed out of the US Open as she was stunned in round two by Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova. Meanwhile Novak Djokovic advanced into the third round by walkover, past injured Jiri Vesely, as Rafael Nadal coasted past Italian Andreas Seppi 6-0 7-5 6-1. The one-sided contest was perhaps most memorable for the first closing of the new roof in Arthur Ashe Stadium, after rain began to fall during the second set.