The Morning Sports Briefing

Sterling performance

Liverpool will face Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea in the League Cup semi finals in a repeat of the 2005 final.

Brendan Rodger's side reached the last-four last night after a 3-1 win over Bournemouth, with Raheem Sterling bouncing back from his profligacy against Manchester United last weekend by grabbing a brace on the south coast.

Christmas miracle

Tottenham Hostpur will play Sheffield United in the other semi-final tie following their comprehensive victory over Newcastle United at White Hart Lane.

Nacer Chadli put Spurs 2-0 up just 34 seconds into the second half, while their fourth goal was a Christmas miracle as Roberto Soldado got on the scoresheet.

Toulon trouble

Toulon's lawyers had a busy day yesterday with both Delon Armitage and Martin Castrogiovanni sanctioned for comments following the European champions' defeat to Leicester Tigers.

Armitage has been banned for 12 weeks by the EPCR for abuse he was alleged to have given to the Welford Road crowd after the game, while prop Castrogiovanni has received a suspended four-match ban and has been ordered to pay €10,000 to charity as punishment for his verbal attack on Leicester’s director of rugby Richard Cockerill.

The fate of Harlequins’ Charlie Matthews, who was cited after he was sin binned during Leinster’s 14-13 victory last Saturday, will be announced today.

Size to blame for increased head injuries

The issue of head injuries in sport is receiving increasing publicity, especially after high profile concussion cases such as Johnny Sexton during Ireland’s autumn international against Australia and German defender Cristoph Kramer during the World Cup final.

Johnny Watterson dissects an Oireachtas report which has linked the increasing size and speed of rugby players with a higher risk of concussion within the game.

Marshall back to business

Luke Marshall has returned to the Ulster fold after an injury ravaged year, John O'Sullivan spoke to him about his hopes to get games under his belt and help turn around Ulster's helter-skelter season.

Kilcoyne to miss Six Nations start

Ireland have been dealt a blow with the news prop David Kilcoyne is set to miss the start of the Six Nations Championship with a knee injury he picked up during Munster's European Champions Cup defeat against Clermont Auvergne at Thomond Park.

Barriers broken

Following the news Katie Taylor has been named Ireand's most admired sports star for the third year in a row, Malachy Clerkin looks at the current state of Irish women's sport, and speaks to 2013 Ireland women's rugby grand slammer Lynne Cantwell.

Brogan plea

Eamon Donoghue spoke to Dublin All Star defender James McCarthy about his hopes team-mate Alan Brogan will stay on with the county panel for another year, with the 32-year-old's big game experience certainly "worth having around".

Meanwhile tributes have been pouring in after the death of Dublin County board chairman Andy Kettle on Tuesday.

Kerry manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice has confirmed Tommy Walsh will return to the county fold for next year, after injury blighted an AFL career with St Kilda and Sydney Swans.

Lee homecoming

Newly crowned WBO middleweight champion Andy Lee received a heroes welcome as he returned to Limerick for a civic reception following his sixth round stoppage win over Matt Korobov in Vegas.

Fifa farce

The Fifa circus continues, with ethics investigator Michael Garcia, who spent 18 months and €7.6 million compiling a report into the controversial 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding process, quitting his post in disgust.

Vatour can step up

Willie Mullins believes the jumping technique of Vatour, runaway winner of last season's Supreme Novice's Hurdle, will enable the five-year-old to make the step up to Grade One level for the Racing Post Novice chase on St Stephen's Day.

Elsewhere Jamie Spencer was back in the winner's enclosure after his first ride since retirement U-turn as he partnered Master of Irony to victory at Lingfield.

Knicks are pants

Dave Hannigan assesses the woes of the New York Knicks, where serious mismanagement has led to them being contenders for the title of worst team in the NBA despite having two its top five earners.

Fighting the UFC

Elsewhere, a group of current and former UFC fighters have launched a lawsuit after claiming the organisation is an illegal monopoly and unlawfully stifles competition from other mixed martial arts leagues.