EVERY MORNING, TheScore.ie brings you the sport stories you need to know with your morning coffee.
1. ROY ROW? While several of the tabloids’ news pages are filled with claims of an ‘amazing’ training-ground bust-up between Ipswich Town manager Roy Keane and fellow Leesider Damien Delaney, the club have moved to quash the rumours this morning.
The Irish Examiner sports editor Tony Leen writes that the club has already engaged legal advice on the matter. Sources close to former Cork City defender Delaney corroborated the club’s version of events, he writes.
2. #PREMIER LEAGUE Arsene Wenger last night blamed the Old Trafford pitch for Arsenal’s defeat to Manchester United.
Ji-sung’s Park’s header was the difference in a tense 1-0 win over the visiting Gunners.
Wayne Rooney missed a penalty late on; Ferguson called the effort, which went over the bar, ‘unusual’.
3. #SAM SACKED Afterwards the Old Trafford boss blasted the decision by Blackbrun Rovers to fire his friend Sam Allardyce.
He told Sky cameras the call to leave his LMA colleague go was ‘stupid’ and ‘nonsense’.
Big Sam is said to be shocked by the decision of the new Ewood Park owners, who reportedly want to bring in Diego Maradona.
4. #SNOW PATROL Connacht Rugby chiefs yesterday covered the Sportsground with 80 bales of straw in a bid to ensure that Friday’s Amlin Challenge Cup clash with Harlequins goes ahead, according to the Irish Examiner.
Temperatures are set to drop again at the end of the week.
5. #TALKS Kerry manager Jack O’Connor says that a number of intercounty football managers – including Conor Counihan of Cork – travelled to meet some of the country’s referees.
In an interview on local radio, the Kingdom boss said that the intercounty managers were invited to the meeting in Croke Park two weeks ago in an attempt to resolve problems like the handpass.
6. #CAVAN After yesterday denying that the county footballers broke the winter training ban last weekend at Breffni Park (check out one eye-witness account), Cavan may pull their hurlers out of league action, according to the Irish Independent.
7. #HEINEKEN CUP Paul O’Connell will learn his fate on Thursday, when he will face an ERC disciplinary committee in Dublin.
The Munster skipper was dismissed in the Reds’ clash with Ospreys at Thomond Park on Sunday afternoon for lashing out at Jonathon Thomas.
8. #G-MAC After a memorable year for the Portrush man, Graeme McDowell was last night named Player of the Year by the Association of Golf Writers.
9. #SORRY! The Jets just don’t know how to make friends. Last night one of the franchise’s coaches was forced to face the press and apologise for an unsavoury incident in the game with the Dolphins on Sunday.
Sal Alosi tripped Miami cornerback Nolan Carroll on his way out of bounds. “I made a mistake that showed a total lapse in judgment,” Alosi said in a statement.
Hilariously, ESPN got a little reaction from the Dolphin’s Channing Crowder: “They’re cheaters. They talk junk. But we beat the hell out of them. I wish they’d tripped me. I’d have broken that old man’s leg.”
Here’s the incident:
