The Morning Sports Briefing

Soccer: Champion League

The Champions League draw yesterday threw up much of the same for the English clubs involved - with Manchester United picking up were they left off on their return to Europe's elite club competition with a relatively comfortable group, as Manchester City again pulled the short straw. Luck of the draw of course, but City's luck has been limited in that regard in recent years.

Last year’s beaten finalists, Juventus, and the Europa League winners, Sevilla, should provide an early test of their metal. As for United the team they drew from the first pot was PSV Eindhoven, swerving the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

“Well, it’s a little bit different this time,” said City executive Brian Marwood when asked if the club, having been on the receiving end of a couple of tough ones, was cursed in the Champions League.

“We didn’t get Barcelona and we didn’t get Bayern Munich – let’s hope we get them further in the competition, that would mean we’ve progressed.”

Arsenal too have a tricky task ahead with Bayern Munich in their group, although Chelsea will be confident of side-stepping the likes of Porto and Dynamo Kiev into the knock-out stages.

Meanwhile Southampton were beaten 1-0 by FC Midtjylland in miserable conditions last night in Denmark .

Former Celtic striker Morten Rasmussen was given the nickname ‘Duncan’ during his early years with AGF Aarhus as he reminded a coach of former Everton forward Duncan Ferguson - and he was the difference after the Saints came into the tie needing to score following a 1-1 home leg draw, and so their Europa League campaign is over, before it started really.

GAA: Championship

Jason Ryan stepped down as Kildare manager last night - in a surprising decision after a positive albeit inconsistent 2015.

“It is with regret that I wish to resign from my position as Kildare Senior Football Manager. It is not a decision that I have taken lightly. I have been involved in intercounty management since October 2007 and the challenges and time requirements of the job have taken their toll.”

Rugby: World Cup

Ireland's last warm-up before the World Cup squad is finalised in the 48 hours to follow is this Saturday against Wales, for those picked to play at the Aviva Stadium tomorrow the ball is now in their court.

Into this category assuredly fall Keith Earls, Luke Fitzgerald and Dave Kearney, all of whom, as expected, have been picked to start along with Rob Kearney from the ten back three players in the squad vying for maybe six places.

“Looking at the team, there’s a number of those guys who, historically, have had a lot of time in the group but there’s some of them who haven’t had a lot of time in the group at all,” said head coach Joe Schmidt, who highlighted the examples of Nathan White, set to make his first Test start, and Tadhg Furlong, set to make his debut off the bench.

Athletics: World Championships

The 50km walk sets off at 12.30am on Saturday morning (7.30am Beijing time), and having spent the entire month of July training at altitude in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, Rob Heffernan has told Ian O'Riordan that he's primed to challenge for another title.

“I want to defend that title (he won two years ago in Moscow) I want to win a medal. Ever since 2001, when I started filling out forms for the Irish Sports Council, winning a medal at the major championship has been my only goal of the season. It’s important as well that I control what I can control, which is my performance.”

Boxing

Darren O'Neill, who captained the Irish boxing team at the London 2012 Olympic Games, has described the possible departure of Irish boxing head coach Billy Walsh to the US Women's Boxing Programme as "absolutely disgraceful".

O’Neill, a respected heavyweight, has boxed under Walsh for a number of years, including at this year’s European Games in Baku.

“I can’t understand it at all how they might have let him go. It’s like Brian Cody leaving Kilkenny a few weeks before the All-Ireland,” said O’Neill.

Cycling

Dan Martin went close to taking victory on stage six of the Vuelta a España on Thursday, with the Irishman finishing second, five seconds behind the solo winner Esteban Chaves of Colombia.

Martin moved from fourth to third overall, displacing his first cousin Nicolas Roche (Sky). They are now 33 and 36 seconds back respectively.

What to watch out for:

Coverage of the Beijing World Championships continues on BBC and Eurosport. No Irish in action today though.

BBC 2, 1.35am-4am, 11.30am-3.15pm, 7pm-8pm

La Vuelta Stage 7: To La Alpujarra

TG4, 3pm-5.05pm

Some interesting rugby action over in France as Clermont take on Bernard Jackman's Grenoble.

Sky Sports 5 from 7.45pm

Thank GAA It's Friday is back again with build up to Sunday's football semi-final.

8.30pm-9pm