Transfer deadline day
Although many of the day’s speculated big moves never materialised, there was still plenty of action on transfer deadline day, with Chelsea’s deal for Leicester City’s Danny Drinkwater getting over the line in the early hours.
The Premier League champions applied for a two-hour extension to the deadline on Thursday night to complete the move, on a day when they lost out on striker Fernando Llorente to Tottenham but did sign right back Davide Zappacosta.
After months of speculation however, there were no moves for Alexis Sanchez, Riyad Mahrez, Virgil Van Dijk, Jonny Evans or Ross Barkley.
All-Ireland hurling final
Ahead of Sunday's All-Ireland hurling final, Jackie Tyrrell believes that a more balanced Galway team can reach their goal at the expense of Waterford.
“They found solutions to their age-old problems at full-back and centre-back in Daithí Burke and Gearóid McInerney. Men – and I do mean men – who form a spine and give them meanness and ruggedness down the middle of their defence.”
Nicky English believes that the tactics of Waterford and other top teams have been impacted on by third-level competitions; "The most recent evolution of hurling has all but replaced the 15-a-side formation in colleges over the last number of years. Recent successful teams have been operating with a 3-3-3-3-2 line-up with the two in the full-forward line rather than at midfield."
Last night Donegal's former Footballer of the Year, Karl Lacey, announced his intercounty retirement, after a 13 year career of as he says himself; "desperate defeats to the crowning glory winning the Sam Maguire in 2012 and everything in between."
Ireland v Georgia
Meanwhile all members of the Ireland squad trained at Abbotstown yesterday before flying out to Tbilisi for their 2018 World Cup qualifying clash with Georgia on Saturday evening. That includes Jonathan Walters and John O'Shea.
Standing between Irish light heavyweight Joe Ward and his dream of a World Championships final spot is Rio Olympic finalist Bektemir Melikuziev, the two meet in today's semi-final.
It remains to be seen whether new South African entrants add much to the mix in the new Pro14 season, but right now all the hype feels a little farcical. Gavin Cummiskey explains. Munster and Ulster both kick off their campaigns this evening. Here's the fixture list in full.
