EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING TheScore.ie brings you all the sport you need before that first cup of coffee.
1. #BAPTISM OF FIRE If Seanie Johnston can earn a place in Kieran McGeeney’s plans then he could make his Kildare debut in his home town against his former county.
Yesterday’s qualifier draw added the twist to the long-running Johnston saga when Cavan were given home advantage against the Lilywhites. You can see the full outcome of the draw here.
Other stand-out fixtures will be Tyrone’s trip to Roscommon Monaghan will visit Laois and beaten All-Ireland finalists Kerry will meet Westmeath.
2. #INJURY Kilkenny are using their injury list to play down expectation on their expected march to yet another Liam McCarthy Cup. Captain Eoin Larkin, JJ Delaney, Colin Fennelly and Paul Murphy are all in doubt to face Galway in this year’s Leinster SHC final.
3. #ANOTHER ONE bites the dust. Maria Sharapova has become the latest big name to crash out of Wimbledon after she lost her fourth round match in straight sets to Sabine Lisicki.
Sharapova follows her male counterpart Rafa Nadal out of the competition: both players won the French Open. Unlike Nadal, however,Sharapova is no stranger to early exits from major tournaments, but will be disappointed no to get another shot at the Wimbledon title which shot her to stardom in 2004.
There were no further surprises in SW19 as Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer eased through.
4. #RUGBY Two of Ireland’s finest back rows in recent history are making strides. Stephen Ferris is on the mend after undergoing an operation on his hand and retired Munster number eight, Denis Leamy, has joined the coaching ticket in the southern province.
5. #NO ‘PSYCHO’ SENTIMENT Stuart Pearce has set tongues wagging by omitting David Beckham, who had been a face of London’s Olympic bid, from his Great Britain football squad for the games.
Age is not a factor as Ryan Giggs is included along with Craig Bellamy and Micah Richards as the three permitted over-23 players. Read the full story here.
