The Morning Sports Briefing

Soccer

Republic of Ireland midfielder Jeff Hendrick netted his first Premier League goal as Burnley brushed aside a ragged Watford 2-0 at Turf Moor last night.

The club’s £10.5million record signing from Derby in the summer, nodded home Steven Defour’s 38th-minute corner, with Michael Keane adding the second.

Sam Allardyce is at the centre of embarrassing and potentially damaging revelations that will warrant a Football Association investigation into the new England manager only two months after he took the job.

Allardyce was recorded apparently explaining that it was possible to “get round” the FA rules about third-party player ownership, to what he thought were Far East businessmen. These however were undercover reporters for the Daily Telegraph.

GAA

In his column this morning Jim McGuinness says that Dublin will revert to their proven winning formula for Saturday's All-Ireland final replay.

“If Dublin can snap out of this possession-for-the-sake-of-it and being too meticulous and return to their core values of running it and kicking it and supporting that kick pass in twos and threes, it will return them to that flow-state where they normally operate.”

Rugby

Gerry Thornley meanwhile is looking ahead to the daunting task facing Ireland, when they play New Zealand in Soldier Field in November. Explaining how the All Blacks are the best and getting better.

“Four wins out of four, all with bonus points, have seen them secure the Rugby Championship with two full rounds to go, which is, frankly, faintly ridiculous. They are not, after all, putting pub teams to the sword, but South Africa, Australia and Argentina.”

Golf

US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love has appointed Bubba Watson as his fifth vice-captain. The two-time Masters champion was overlooked for a wild card despite being ranked seventh in the world, but had made it clear to Love that he still wanted to be involved at Hazeltine this week.

UFC

Meanwhile this morning - Conor McGregor has been announced as the main event for UFC 205 in New York where he will fight Eddie Alvarez for the lightweight title.

What to watch out for

Ireland (cricket) take on Australia in their ODI today.

Sky Sports 2 from 12.30pm

There's three League of Ireland Premier Division games on tonight - with Cork City and Shamrock Rovers both in action.

While in Champions League action tonight, all kicking off at 7.45pm - there is:

CSKA Moscow v Tottenham (eir Sport 1 from 7pm)

Leicester v Porto (TV3 from 7.30pm)

Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid (ESPN from 7.30pm)