Sport

The Morning Sports Briefing

Manchester United rescue a point against Everton, McIlroy set for Masters bid, Extraordinary Colm Cooper deserves a slip into the ordinary

Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic scores from the penalty spot at Old Trafford. Photograph: Reuters
Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic scores from the penalty spot at Old Trafford. Photograph: Reuters
Wed Apr 05 2017 - 08:37

Soccer

An injury-time Zlatan Ibrahimovic penalty rescued a draw for a stuttering Manchester United against Everton at Old Trafford last night.

José Mourinho’s team lost more ground in the race for the Champions League, with Phil Jagielka’s first half goal looking to have ended their unbeaten run and sealed the three points for the visitors. But not before a reckless handball from Ashley Williams gifted United a point after 94 minutes of trying.

Masters

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Rory McIlroy has had a gentle word in his ear from Jack Nicklaus as he attempts to complete his career Grand Slam in Augusta this week. McIlroy explained to Philip Reid in Augusta last night why he has opted for new fairway woods in his bag, on the eve of the Masters.

“I needed a couple of fairway woods that didn’t spin quite as much, and I needed a couple of fairways that I thought I could turn over easier.”

Yesterday afternoon the first and second round tee times were announced, with McIlroy paired with Jon Rahm and Hideto Tanihara. They are underway at 6.41pm on Thursday. Earlier, at 6.19pm, Shane Lowry gets underway and he's paired with Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia.

GAA

Darragh Ó Sé says that Colm Cooper is up their with the best players he has ever played with. The Kerry attacker confirmed his retirement yesterday and his former teammate remembers him not just as a great scorer, but a player who made those around him play a lot better too.

“I played with some great men and brilliant players in my time – Seamus Moynihan, Maurice Fitzgerald, all these guys. But Colm was up there with all of them.”

While Sean Moran sums up 24 hours of tributes perfectly; "Posterity will deem his football extraordinary. Right now, he well deserves to slip into a more ordinary existence."

Rugby

In his column this morning Gordon D'Arcy explains how the Leinster and Munster attacks now include a second playmaker, in what is a vital evolution for their Champions Cup endeavours.

“Both Leinster and Munster are already – via Joey Carbery’s heads-up play and Tyler Bleyendaal’s positioning – making clear progress.”