EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING, TheScore.ie brings you the stories you need to know before 9am.
1. #SIX NATIONS Ireland’s Stephen Ferris was yesterday cleared to play in this weekend’s game with France in Paris.
The Ulster man faced a tournament disciplinary panel in London, having been cited for his tackle on Ian Evans at Lansdowne Rd last Sunday.
“Thank goodness that is all over. Happy man,” Ferris tweeted after he was cleared. Wales lock Bradley Davies was not so lucky.
Declan Kidney names his side to face Les Bleus later today.
2. CIAO! Fabio Capello sensationally quit as England manager last night. The English FA confirmed the news in a press release yesterday evening following a meeting at Wembley Stadium.
The decision comes hot on the heels of Capello’s criticism of the footballing body after they removed the international captaincy from John Terry this week.
3. #’APPY Harry Redknapp and Milan Mandaric were yesterday cleared of all counts of cheating the revenue.
The pair hugged in celebration after hearing the verdict and both mouthed a thank you to jurors as they filed out, according to TV reports. Redknapp embraced his son, Sky Sports pundit Jamie, and they left the court-room arm-in-arm.
“Five years this has been hanging over us, it’s been a nightmare, I’ve got to be honest. It was horrendous, but it was a unanimous decision, the jury were unanimous that there was no case to answer,” said Redknapp on the steps of the court afterwards.
Bookmakers immediately slashed his odds of succeeding Fabio Capello as England manager. And that was before the Italian quit.
4. #RABO Leinster welcome Benetton Treviso to the RDS tonight, with coach Joe Schmidt, naming a side boasting youth and experience.
With most of Schmidt’s regular starters absent on Six Nations duty, 21-year-old centre Colm O’Shea has been promoted following a handful of B&I Cup appearances and makes his senior debut for the province.
Check out the full team here; we’ll liveblog the action this evening.
5. #GAA Derrytresk were yesterday cleared to play in their All-Ireland Junior football final. But the Tyrone club have been banned from the provincial and All-Ireland Club Championships for five years after that following a meeting of the GAA’s Central Hearings Committee (CHC).
The Ulster outfit, who appealed the hefty sanctions handed down following the violence which marred their semi-final win against Dromid Pearses of Kerry, be without seven squad members in this Sunday’s showpiece.
6. #FA CUP Sunderland set up a fifth round meeting with Arsenal as they saw off north-east rivals Middlesbrough 2-1 after extra-time.
