The Morning Sports Briefing

Jim McGuinness: Mayo need a touch of anarchy

The All-Ireland football final is creeping ever-closer and in his column today Jim McGuinness looks at how Mayo can upset the odds by beating Dublin on Sunday - and in the process lift Sam Maguire for the first time in 65 years.

McGuinness believes that while Mayo have been a model of consistency since 2012 - reaching two All-Ireland finals and two semi-final replays - they must bring something new to the table in order to conquer Jim Gavin’s champions.

He writes: “I suppose my advice for Mayo now is: don’t be cautious and safe. You know, die in a blaze of glory before that happens.

“I suppose what I am talking is a mindset which is bordering on obsessive. This is not a game of football. This is a defining day in their lives. They need to bring this almost desperate sense of: we can’t be beaten.”

Everton ease past Sunderland in second half

Everton’s impressive start to life under Ronald Koeman continued last night as they beat Sunderland 3-0 at the Stadium of Light, with Romelu Lukaku ending his goal drought in emphatic style with a quick fire second half hat-trick.

Champions League

Elsewhere the Champions League returns tonight, with Arsenal travelling to play PSG, Celtic facing a daunting trip to the Nou Camp and Manchester City welcoming Borussia Monchengladbach to Eastlands.

Seventh in final for Turner

In Rio Ireland’s Nicole Turner finished seventh in the Women’s S5 200 metres IM final yesterday, following the disqualification of a Ukrainian swimmer. The 14 year old Laois teenager was fifth after the Butterfly leg but dropped three places in the Backstroke and couldn’t make any impression in the final two legs.

Bubba could miss out on Ryder Cup

And the Ryder Cup is just over two-weeks away and the world number seven Bubba Watson could be a high profile absence after American captain Davis Love III named Rickie Fowler, JB Holmes and Matt Kuchar as the first three of his four wildcard picks for Hazeltine.