1. #PREMIER LEAGUE Might as well just give the Premier League to Manchester City; the title race is over already.
Marouane Fellaini bossed proceedings and scored a second-half winner as Manchester United stumbled to a 1-0 defeat against Everton in the first Monday Night Football of the new season.
Not even the introduction of debutant Robin van Persie as a second-half sub could save United, who haven’t lost on opening weekend since 2004. They didn’t win the league that season either.
2. #DOMESTIC MATTERS At home, Sligo Rovers stretched their lead at the top of the Airtricity League Premier Division with a 3-0 win against UCD at the Showgrounds, the goals coming from Mark Quigley, Pascal Millien and Romo Boco.
With Drogheda coming out on the wrong side of a 3-2 thriller against Cork in Turner’s Cross, Sligo now have an eight-point advantage and a game in hand over the chasing pack.
In Dalymount Park, Bohemians drew 2-2 with Shelbourne; Sean O’Connor got the game’s only goal as St Pat’s beat Dundalk 1-0; and Bray Wanderers and Derry City played out a scoreless draw at the Carlisle Grounds.
3. #CATS Kilkenny’s Michael Rice is a major doubt for next month’s All-Ireland hurling decider against Galway after he picked up a serious hand injury in the win against Tipperary, the Irish Independent reports.
Yesterday, the GAA announced that Westmeath referee Barry Kelly will take charge of the final on 9 September.
4. #CRICKET South Africa confirmed their place as the world’s top test cricket side with a 2-0 series win against England in Lord’s yesterday.
Wicketkeeper Matt Prior led a final-session fightback for England before Vernon Philander took two wickets with consecutive deliveries to seal a 51-run win in the third and final test.
5. #LANCE The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) is free to proceed against Lance Armstrong after a federal judge in America dismissed the seven-time Tour de France winner’s lawsuit yesterday.
6. #VUELTA Spain’s Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) won Monday’s thrilling third stage of the Vuelta á Espana, outsprinting Joaquim Rodriguez and Christopher Froome to the line. Valverde leads by 18 seconds in the race for the red jersey.
