United and City in Champions League action; Leinster v Munster deserves big names

Crisis, what crisis? Jose Mourinho may be under the most pressure so far in his time over Manchester United, but ahead of tonight's Champions League encounter with Valencia he's ditched his recent dour look for a smile. United are nine points off the title pace just seven games into the Premier League season, and to outside eyes at least Mourinho seems to have compounded their worst start for 29 years by conducting public feuds with his players. Tonight however they can go two wins from two in Group H of the Champions League. Meanwhile Manchester City will be looking for their first points in the competition when they travel to Hoffenheim. Pep Guardiola believes easy progress in previous group stages hasn't helped his side: "maybe you have to suffer in the group stage to realise and make a step forward."

Johnny Sexton and Joey Carbery are both likely to be rested for Saturday's heavyweight clash between Munster and Leinster at the Aviva. Sexton is likely to be rotated out before the first of Leinster's opening two weekends of the Heineken Cup, and if he is not rested this week he will end up playing six matches in succession. Carbery came off the bench in his first two games for Munster before starting the last three games. Gerry Thornley believes the interpro derby should be moved if the frontliners are not allowed play; "If the traditional end of October/early November meeting between these two Irish heavyweights is no longer to be considered the ideal means of preparing for a return to European action a week later, then it should be moved to another weekend when the fixture can more readily accommodate the likes of Sexton, Ringrose, Larmour, Carbery, Conway, O'Mahony and co."

Kerry appear to be closing in on their new senior football manager, but of the three main candidates to succeed Éamonn Fitzmaurice, it appears two aren't yet entirely convinced they have the time for it. Last week Maurice Fitzgerald, the 1997 Footballer of the Year, emerged as the preferred candidate. By Monday evening a name will go before club delegates for ratification.

After being a vice-captain three times, including last weekend in Paris, Philip Reid believes that Pádraig Harrington is well primed for 2020 Ryder Cup captaincy. A decision on the captain is expected to be made in the coming months, with the likely man in situ before Christmas.

Gerry Thornley: Leinster v Munster deserves the big names

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Leinster and Munster’s rotating 10s make it a new ball game

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Shoulder to Shoulder: How Irish rugby survived the Troubles

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James Ryan and Dan Leavy return to Leinster training

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It is 60 years since Ballymoss became the first Irish trained winner of the €5 million Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Bookmakers believe Kew Gardens is the most likely of Aidan O'Brien's potential runners to earn a place among an exclusive group of Irish racing stars in Paris this Sunday.