1. #EUROPA LEAGUE Shamrock Rovers travel to Belgrade next week knowing that they must score at least once if they are to progress past FK Partizan.
An 81st-minute goal from Gary McCabe earned the Hoops a 1-1 draw in Tallaght Stadium last night, leaving the tie in the balance.
Elsewhere in the Europa League, Tottenham hammered Hearts 5-0 in Tynecastle; Fulham won 3-0 at home against Dnipro; Stoke scored an important away goal to win 1-0 against FC Thun; Rangers were beaten 2-1 away to Maribor; and Celtic and Birmingham City had to settle for 0-0 draws against FC Sion and Nacional respectively.
2. #RWC David Wallace faces a race against the clock in order to be fit for tomorrow evening’s test against France, with the flanker rated at “50-50″ to recover from a hamstring problem.
In Donnybrook last night, an Irish Select XV ran in six tries in a 38-3 victory over Connacht.
3. #ALL-IRELAND Mayo manager James Horan continues to wait anxiously on the fitness of some of his key men before naming his side for Sunday’s All-Ireland Football semi-final against Kerry.
Horan was first expected to announce the starting line-up on Wednesday, but has delayed his decision twice in the hope that Trevor Mortimer, Peadar Gardiner and Aidan Campbell might be fit to play.
4. #CZECH OPEN Peter Lawrie set the early pace on day one of the Czech Open, claiming the overnight lead after a solid start at the Prosper Golf Resort.
In his first tournament since a top-ten at last month’s Irish Open, the Dubliner fired a bogey-free 66, enough for a one-shot lead over a trio of challengers that includes Damien McGrane.
5. #JOSE Jose Mourinho looks set to avoid a ban for his “eye-poke” on Barcelona assistant Tito Vilanova after the referee failed to mention the incident in his match report, Sid Lowe writes.
After Barca’s Supercup victory on Wednesday night, defender Gerard Pique said that the Real Madrid boss was destroying Spanish football. We want to know what you think, so click here to vote in our poll.
If you missed the incident, here it is all its petulant glory.
