Schmidt braced for All Blacks backlash

Another weekend, and another job well done for Joe Schmidt’s Ireland. They are now two wins from two this November after a new-look side - including eight debutants - eased past a game Canada on Saturday evening, winning 52-21 at the Aviva Stadium.

However sterner tasks now lie in wait, starting with the visit of the All Blacks to Dublin this coming weekend. And Schmidt is braced for a backlash from the world champions after their defeat in Chicago: “To a degree I think we’ve poked the bear. I’ve no doubt that they will come out mentally..”

Ken Early: Ireland on the up

It was a fine weekend for Irish sport, with the football team picking up three crucial points with a 1-0 win over Austria in Vienna - a result which leaves them top of their World Cup qualification group heading into the New Year.

And Ken Early suggests Martin O’Neill’s side are one on the up, he writes: “After going nearly 15 years without beating a side placed above them in the Fifa rankings, they have now done it four times in little over a year - defeating Germany, Bosnia, Italy and Austria. There is a sense the team is going places - specifically, the wide-open spaces of Russia.”

Conor McGregor

Conor McGregor made UFC history on Sunday morning as he became the first fighter to hold two belts at the same time after his win over Eddie Alvarez in New York.

And today Dave Hannigan writes that the Dubliner’s character outside the ring is invaluable to the fledgling organisation: “In this regard, McGregor, for all his coarseness, vulgarity and increasingly tiresome sub-WWE schtick, is the greatest promotional tool UFC has ever had.”

Corofin beat Castlebar

Elsewhere Corofin are into the Connacht SFC final after a 0-17 to 0-14 extra time win over Castlebar Mitchels yesterday. They will face Roscommon’s St Brigid’s who thrashed Leitrim’s Aughawillan 2-19 to 1-7. In the Munster final The Nire will face Dr Crokes, with Kilcoo and Slaughtneil into the Ulster final.