1. #MUNSTER Captain Paul O’Connell is edging closer to a much-delayed competitive return after he was put through his paces by Reds training staff in Limerick yesterday.
2. #WORLD SERIES Freddy Sanchez eclipsed the hugely-anticipated pitching showdown between Tim Lincecum and Cliff Lee as the San Francisco Giants struck the first blow in the series with an 11-7 victory over the Texas Rangers at AT&T Park overnight.
3. #MAN UTD Old Trafford bosses have sounded out Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola about taking over from Alex Ferguson at the end of this season.
4. #REBELS Cork football manager Conor Counihan – who confirmed he will stay on for two more years in the job yesterday – laughed off suggestions that Sean Óg Ó hAilpín is in line to join his panel, according to this morning’s Irish Daily Star. The former Liam MacCarthy-winning captain was cut from Denis Walsh’s panel last week.
5. #IRELAND Stephen Ferris is fronting up for a major battle with the Springboks in November.
6. #GAA PROBE The association’s director general Paraic Duffy has vowed to leave no stone unturned in his illegal payments to managers dossier which will be released within a month, he says.
7. #CYCLING Simon Coughlan clinched a silver medal in the 3km individual pursuit at cycling’s Masters World Championship in Sydney earlier.
8. #INTERNATIONAL RULES Series rookie Paul Duffield claims Australia will ignore their seven-point lead going into the decisive second Test at Croke Park on Saturday, reports the Irish Daily Mirror.
9. #TOP SPOT Martin Kaymer tees off at the Andalucia Valderrama Masters today knowing he alone can beat Lee Westwood to Tiger Wood’s number one ranking. The German needs a win or a second-placed finish – shared with no more than one other player – to claim top spot.
10. #PRESSURE Newcastle went down 4-0 to Arsenal in the Carling Cup on Tyneside last night as speculation mounted about boss Chris Hughton’s future, despite a solid start to the Premier League season and their impressive promotion campaign last term.
