The Morning Sports Briefing

Man United out of League Cup

Middlesbrough are through to the quarter-finals of the League Cup after they dumped out Manchester United on penalties at Old Trafford last night.

Louis van Gaal made nine changes to the team which started last weekend’s Manchester derby but again his side offered little going forward in a largely turgid and insipid performance, with Wayne Rooney and Ashley Young missing their spot kicks to send the 10,000-strong travelling support from Teeside into raptures.

Across on the east side of town there were no such worries for Manchester City, who trounced Crystal Palace 5-1, while Southampton also booked their place in the last eight thanks to a 2-1 win over managerless Aston Villa.

Elsewhere Jurgen Klopp secured his first win as Liverpool boss at the fourth time of asking after his side edged past Bournemouth at Anfield, and his side have been handed a trip to Southampton in the quarters. In the other last eight ties Middlesbrough welcome Everton to the Riverside, Hull City travel to Man City and Sheffield Wednesday travel to Stoke.

O’Neill names Bosnia squad

Martin O'Neill announced his 39-man squad for next month's Euro 2016 play-off clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina yesterday and he revealed he will meet Wales manager Chris Coleman next week, with Coleman's side having progressed from a qualification group containing the Bosnians despite failing to beat them.

Billy Walsh hearing

Meanwhile yesterday saw Billy Walsh officially unveiled as the new head of the US women’s boxing programme.

And as the Americans were parading their new prize the Irish Amateur Boxing Association and Sport Ireland were back in Dublin locked in a protracted, painful and ultimately fruitless meeting in front of the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications.

Johnny Watterson was present for the discussions at Leinster House as the two associations pointed the finger over the departure of Walsh, a man who they could at least both agree would be a major loss to Irish boxing.

Lowry looking to hunt down Rory

The Turkish Airlines Open begins today and Shane Lowry is looking to keep things simple as he tries to chase down Rory McIlroy at the top of the Order of Merit, he said: "You stand up and hit your shot, you find it and you hit it again. That's golf."

The best teams have the best nines

The Rugby World Cup final edges ever closer and one man key to New Zealand hopes at Twickenham will be Aaron Smith, who is currently seen as the best scrumhalf in the world, writes Gerry Thornley.

America at Large

In this week's America at Large column Dave Hannigan looks at the New York Mets and their improbable run to this year's World Series.

Curragh redevelopment

Yesterday plans were unveiled for a €65 million redevelopment of the Curragh, which is set to be complete by 2018. The 'Home of the Classics' is in need of the redevelopment, and the plans will see the Turf Club become just a one-third shareholder in the course, writes Brian O'Connor.

What to watch out for:

Golf

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry are both in action in the Turkish Airlines Open in Antalya. (SS4, 9am-2pm)