Stephen O’Brien cleared to play; How Ireland can top world rugby rankings

Kerry forward Stephen O'Brien has been cleared to play in the All-Ireland final against Dublin. The Kenmare club man had been facing an automatic one-match ban having received a third black card this season during the semi-final victory over Tyrone. Ahead of this Sunday's hurling final between Tipperary and Kilkenny, Jackie Tyrrell explains why Cody and Kilkenny will just edge it when the sparks stop flying: "It is very hard to call but I think there might be Black and Amber confetti streaming from the top of the Hogan stand come 5.15pm. It will come down to that simple message. Do Your Job!"

Ireland can go top of the rugby world rankings this weekend without lifting a finger. To knock the All Blacks off the perch they have held for almost a decade will require Australia to win or draw against New Zealand at Eden Park on Saturday morning followed by a draw between number two ranked Wales and England (fourth) at the Principality stadium in the afternoon. Lynne Cantwell, Ireland's outside centre in the heady days is on the board of Sport Ireland and chairs a committee on women in sport. Her team's legacy is now in danger of being squandered, she explains: "I suppose there is a reality that there wasn't any solid structures in place in rugby at that time and there wasn't huge changes made afterwards."

Rory McIlroy's opening round 69, three under, in the BMW Championship enabled the Northern Irishman to keep his eyes very much on the $15 million payday that ultimately will go to the FedEx Cup championship. McIlroy's round of four birdies and a bogey had him trailing clubhouse leaders Justin Thomas and Jason Kokrak by four strokes. Graeme McDowell also shot an opening round 69 but has a lot of work to do over the next three rounds if he is to gatecrash his way into the season finale.

Meanwhile on day two of the second Ashes Test at Lord's - from the relative security of 92 for two England slumped to 138 for six on an unusually brown Lord's surface by the standards of 2019. Any blushes were tempered a little by a half-centuries from Rory Burns at the start of the innings and Jonny Bairstow at the end. There was also the comfort of another cheap dismissal of David Warner in the final hour as Australia scrapped and scraped to 30 for one at the close in a manner that suggested that there is still plenty of time for there to be a result.