The Morning Sports Briefing

Soccer

James McCarthy came through training with the rest of the Ireland squad yesterday without any obvious problems - putting him back in contention to feature in Friday’s World Cup qualifier against Wales.

Assistant manager Roy Keane had said that McCarthy would have to prove his fitness by taking part in Wednesday's session, and the Everton midfielder joined Séamus Coleman and Jonny Hayes in playing a significant part.

Stephen Ward believes Irish teamwork must stifle the threat of Gareth Bale, a man he claims is a step above anyone else in the Premier League.

Con O’Callaghan’s brace leads Dublin to Leinster final

---

Rory McIlroy with work to do after Danish defeat in opener

---

Sonia O’Sullivan: Raising the limits of our own game

---

Irish diaspora a major plus in Ireland 2023 World Cup bid

---

“It looks as though he has a free role for Wales and they’ll want to get him on the ball as much as possible. So we’ll have to try to stop the service in to him and when he does get it, get as close as we can.”

Rugby

Reaching out to the Irish diaspora, and especially in North America, was one of the major selling points in the Ireland 2023 bid for the Rugby World Cup six years hence when the IRFU spearheaded the two-day fact-finding mission by the five-strong World Rugby Technical Review Group.

In the process they visited Croke Park, the Aviva Stadium, Áras an Uachtaráin and Government Buildings. And met President Michael D Higgins, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, the IRFU, the GAA, government agencies from North and South, politicians, sportsmen (Brian O’Driscoll, Bernard Brogan and Henry Shefflin) and business people.

According to the statistics, England are to dominate the British and Irish Lions selection, because "there is a pronounced correlation between the final standings in the Five/Six Nations and the size of a country's representation for the ensuing Lions tour."

Golf

Meanwhile Rory McIlroy has left himself with an uphill task at the WGC Match Play in Texas, after his opening 2&1 defeat by Soren Kjeldsen. While Sergio Garcia and Shane Lowry halved an intriguing match on the 18th when Lowry made a bogey to allow the Spaniard to win the hole and halve the match.

Athletics

In her column this morning Sonia O'Sullivan explains why less is more; "the older I get the more I believe there are times when less is more, when we need to listen to our bodies. I definitely grew up in an era where more was always better: more miles and faster pace equals greater results."

GAA

Cuala's Con O'Callaghan scored 2-5 as Dublin's under-21 footballers reached the Leinster final with a seven point win over Longford.

Elsewhere Donegal beat Tyrone, while Sligo shocked Roscommon.