1. CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Arsenal booked their place in the group stages of Europe’s top club competition last night.
The Gunners beat Udinese 2-1 in Italy, having taken a one-goal lead into the tie from the first leg.
Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott scored and Wojciech Szczesny pulled off a stunning penalty save. The Daily Mail also reports that Arsene Wenger has failed to land Kaka on loan.
The Champions League draw will be made at 5pm this evening – but there has been some change.
Fenerbahce are replaced by fellow Turkish side Trabzonspor because of the ongoing match-fixing investigation.
2. #EUROPA LEAGUE Shamrock Rovers, meanwhile, face their own European test tonight as the take on Partizan Belgrade in a game worth around €1million.
The sides drew 1-1 in Tallaght last week so the Hoops are up against it in Serbia (ko 7.30pm).
3. #REBEL YELL Denis Walsh yesterday issued a statement following his departure as Cork boss.
Though insisting he stood by the decisions he made, the St Catherine’s man accepted results during his tenure were unacceptable.
He wrote: “In the words of the American writer Benjamin Graham, ‘You’re neither right nor wrong because other people agree with you. You’re right because your facts are right and your reasoning is right — and that’s the only thing that makes you right. And if your facts and reasoning are right, you don’t have to worry about anybody else’.”
4. #HOWZAT Eoin Morgan will captain England against his home country in Clontarf today. The one-day tie is a sell-out, as Ireland attempt to replicate their World Cup success in Banglaore last March.
5. #RUGBY Declan Kidney will today name his side to face England this weekend at the Aviva Stadium.
6. #YOUTUBE If it’s Thursday – and it is according to my prescription pill dispenser – it must be YouTube round-up day. Send us your favourites from the past seven days.
This one might well make the cut (he was okay, thanks to his cap).
