Soccer
The build-up to Ireland’s crucial Euro 2016 play-off with Bosnia and Herzegovina continues today as the team undertake their last training session on home soil before travelling to Zenica tomorrow morning for Friday’s first leg.
Martin O’Neill has kept his cards close to his chest so far with regards the fitness of players but it’s expected that he will give concrete information on Rob Elliot, Shane Long and John O’Shea this morning. It is hoped that Elliot will shake off a hamstring injury to play on Friday while O’Shea and Long could feature on Monday.
Assistant manager Roy Keane was in jovial mood yesterday as he rallied the players, saying that if they can beat the world champions, then they can take Ireland to France next summer.
After ending his 13-game goalless drought at the weekend, Daryl Murphy is determined to maintain that form as he puts on an Ireland shirt, while Richard Keogh has been talking about trying to shake off the Poland result and focus fully on the play-offs.
Athletics
As the fallout from the report into a Russian 'state-sponsored' doping programme continues, the country could be suspended from all athletics by this weekend. IAAF president Sebastian Coe will chair a meeting this Friday to decide the fate of Russia.
It is understood that senior figures within the IAAF council will push for Russia to be immediately provisionally suspended. Russia has until Thursday to respond to the allegations of cover-ups, destruction of samples and payment of money to conceal positive doping tests contained in Pound’s report.
Coe himself is under a lot of pressure to act following the damning revelations. Owen Gibson asks whether or not the former Olympian is the right man to lead athletics out of the mire.
Rugby
The post world cup review into Ireland's performance at the tournament will be completed by the end of November and is to be headed by IRFU performance director David Nucifora.
However, the results of the review will not be made public, despite being run off the back of a €2.6 million state-funded grant.
Meanwhile, as the build-up to the opening weekend of the Champions Cup continues Fergus McFadden is ready for 'clinical' Wasps – a team that has caused Leinster problems in the past.
In his numbers column this week Andy McGeady looks at the rather confusing new permutations for a home semi-final draw.
“The semi-final draw is no longer part of rugby’s European Cup. Even with the traditional quirks of the competition – the minnows; the back to back fixtures; the varied inclinations of the French towards the merits of foreign travel – having semi-final home advantage decided at random before the quarter-finals had kicked off was something that has never sat quite right.”
GAA
The 23-man Irish panel to take on Australia in the international rules series will be announced later today with Joe Kernan discussing how difficult it was to narrow it down and let players know that they would not be involved.
Bernard Brogan will captain the Irish team, and will be joined by recently announced footballer of the year Jack McCaffrey. Diarmuid Connolly is also set to feature now that his club season with St Vincent’s has ended. The full squad will be announced in Croke Park later today.
Meanwhile, Seán Moran discusses the All-Ireland Day documentary shown on Monday night on RTÉ.
Racing
After the death yesterday of legendary Irish jocket Pat Ederry, Brian O'Connor takes a look at his career and his unforgettable legacy.
“In 1987 Eddery and Cauthen’s championship battle famously went down to the final day with the exhausted American eventually emerging best although resolving never to try for the title again.
Eddery won for the following four years.
It was such consistency, allied to frequent flashes of instinctive inspiration in the big races, which made Eddery such a coveted talent.”
Also in racing news, Golden Horn has been named the Cartier Horse of the Year at the 25th annual awards.
What to watch out for
Cricket: Pakistan and England get their ODI series underway in Abu Dhabi. Sky Sports 2 from 10.30am.
