Home

A Glenstal Abbey supporter shows off his acrobatic skills during the half-time break in their Munster Schools Senior Cup game against St Clement's College. Donall Farmer / INPHO Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO

• Former Kildare footballer Dermot Earley has been appointed as the new chief executive of the Gaelic Players Association having served as the president of the organisation since 2013.
• Three people — Sarah Keane, William O’Brien and Bernard O’Byrne — have been nominated to succeed Pat Hickey as president of the Olympic Council of Ireland.
• Leinster second row Hayden Triggs has been cited for alleged contact with the eye area of Montpellier scrum-half Nic White during Friday’s Champions Cup fixture between the sides.
• Cabinteely FC have announced that legendary League of Ireland striker Jason Byrne has joined the club for the 2017 season.
• Munster captain Peter O’Mahony is following return-to-play protocols this week after suffering a concussion during Munster’s Champions Cup win against Glasgow.
• Carl Frampton has been named as THE RING Magazine Fighter of the Year for 2016, recognising the Belfast boxer’s stunning 12 months.
• Cork senior hurling boss Kieran Kingston has made seven changes for tomorrow night’s Munster Hurling League clash against Waterford in Mallow.
• Ireland have secured a nail-biting five-wicket victory against Namibia in the Desert T20 tournament in Abu Dhabi.
• John O’Sullivan‘s eight-year association with Blackburn Rovers has come to an end after the winger and the Championship club mutually agreed to terminate his contract.
• The inclusion of Cian Dillon at full-back is one of eight changes made by Clare managers Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor for tomorrow’s game against Limerick.
• Two-time Olympian Michael Conlan will face American Tim Ibarra [4-4] in his debut as a professional boxer at Madison Square Garden on St Patrick’s Day.
• Cork City manager John Caulfield has expressed his delight after the club confirmed that Stephen Dooley has signed a contract to remain on Leeside for the 2017 season.
• Glenstal Abbey booked their place in the Munster Schools Senior Cup quarter-finals with a 27-10 win over St Clement’s College.

Away

Serbia's Novak Djokovic makes a backhand return to Spain's Fernando Verdasco during his straight-sets victory at the Australian Open. Andy Brownbill Andy Brownbill

• Wales fans have expressed their “outrage” over the ticket allocation of 3,300, or just 6.4%, for their clash with Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on 24 March.
• Diego Costa returned to training with Chelsea’s first team today, fuelling speculation that he has made up with manager Antonio Conte after their reported bust-up.
• Lock Alun Wyn Jones will captain the Welsh rugby team for the upcoming Six Nations campaign while interim coach Rob Howley has also named seven debutants in his 36-man squad.
• Tim Kennedy [18-6] , a US army veteran of Irish descent, has announced his retirement from mixed martial arts after competing for more than 15 years as a professional.
• Ex-Connacht captain Craig Clarke has told a New Zealand court how thieves held him at gunpoint while he drove a car chased by police.
• Zebre have parted ways with head coach Gianluca Guidi on the back of heavy defeats against Leinster and Connacht.
• Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis says a global ambassador’s role will be offered to Diego Maradona if the club legend settles his score with the Italian tax man.

The Best Thing We Shared

Is there anything more Robbie Keane can do to endear himself to the Irish public at this stage?

On The Record

There is a huge demand but also the modern day Gaelic football athletes want to do what they are doing. I want to set the record straight on that. Some people would have us believe that they don’t enjoy what they are doing, or that it is a chore for them. I have not yet met anyone who does not enjoy playing for Tyrone and I think there are very few county footballers who do not enjoy what they are doing.

Tyrone football manager Mickey Harte wanted to stress that inter-county players are the ones who drive the standards on and they play at that level because they love it.

The Fixture List

• There are three FA Cup third-round ties to be decided via replays — Newcastle United v Birmingham City, Plymouth Argyle v Liverpool (live, BT Sport 2) and Southampton v Norwich City — which all kick off at 19.45.
• It’s back to Group B in the Africa Cup of Nations with tomorrow’s ties pitting Algeria v Tunisia (16.00) and Senegal v Zimbabwe (19.00) against each other.
• In the Munster Hurling League Clare host Limerick in Sixmilebridge (19.30) and Cork entertain Waterford in Mallow at the same time. Elsewhere, there are three games in the Walsh Cup — Meath v Carlow (Dunganny, 19.30), DIT v NUI Galway (Abbotstown, 19.15) and Carlow v UCD (Netwatch Cullen Park, 19.45). There are also six fixtures in the Dr McKenna Cup — Derry v QUB, Armagh v Down, Fermanagh v Antrim, Monaghan v St Mary’s, Cavan v Ulster University and Tyrone v Donegal.
• In rugby, there are three fixtures in the Munster Schools Senior Cup with Christian Brothers Cork taking on Crescent College Comprehensive at Irish Independent Park and Rockwell doing battle with St Munchin’s at Clanwilliam Park (14.30). In the afternoon’s later game (15.30), it’s Ard Scoil Rís v Presentation Brothers Cork in Garryowen.
• The Australian Open, the first tennis Grand Slam of the year, continues in Melbourne.

Showbiz, Baby!

Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry paid tribute to outgoing US President Barack Obama in a 126-91 NBA win against Cleveland Cavaliers.

The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!

Wales fans ‘outraged’ by ticket allocation for World Cup qualifier in Dublin

Here’s Robbie Keane belting out Joxer Goes To Stuttgart in a Dublin pub