Every weekday morning TheScore brings you up to speed with all the big sporting news before you clamp onto that first cup of (iced?) coffee.
1.#GOLD There it is, folks. Ireland’s first Olympic gold medal in boxing since Michael Carruth leapt for joy at Barcelona 1992.
After all the hype and pressure Katie Taylor delivered in style when it really counted. Now she says she’ll consider going pro. But her father, Pete, would like to see her hang up the gloves.
The action doesn’t stop there. Ireland have three more hopefuls in the ring today.
2. #PGA It’s easily lost in the hazy golden sunshine, but there’s a golf major going on. Kiawah Island is the venue for the PGA Championship. Rory McIlroy was one of the early starters and he looked to be nearing a return to his best, the Co. Down man briefly held the lead after carding a five-under-par 67. Going into this afternoon’s second round he is tied for second behind Sweden’s Carl Pettersson.
Graeme McDowell just a shot behind his countryman on four under, while Padraig Harrington also had a solid opening day, his 70 enough for 25th place.
3. #GAA It’s shaping up to be a massive semi-final in Croke Park this Sunday and Cork boss Jimmy Barry Murphy has called on Lorcan McLoughlin and Conor Lehane to be a big part of the Rebel assault on Galway.
McLoughlin is drafted into midfield in place of Daniel Kearney while Lehane takes up his now familiar number 10 shirt with Niall McCarthy the man hoping to make his impact from the bench. Here’s the team in full.
4. #BACK TROUBLE Alex Ferguson has expressed concern over his defensive options little over a week out from the Premier League’s big kick off. The Scot’s timing is interesting considering Manchester United are also appearing in the business sections; their IPO price was slashed by almost $70 million.
5. #FINAL BELL? Craig Bellamy’s Liverpool career may be approaching an end. “Cardiff is probably where he will end up,” was the not-so-subtle hint from Brendan Rodgers.
