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Early Doors

The Morning Score: Wednesday

Grab your porridge and your cuppa – here’s all the sports news you need to know this morning.

1. #RWC2011 Declan Kidney has stuck with an unchanged starting XV for Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final against Wales, giving hooker Rory Best every chance to recover from a shoulder injury.

“We’ll make [the decision] when we have to make it,” Kidney said this morning. “I wouldn’t want to tempt fate by rating his chances.”

In the half-back line, Conor Murray and Ronan O’Gara retain their starting berths with Eoin Reddan and Jonathan Sexton named among the replacements.

2. #EURO2012 Giovanni Trapattoni is pondering a central midfield double act of Keiths, Andrews and Fahey, for Friday night’s penultimate Euro 2012 qualifier against Andorra.

Ireland depart for Barcelona later on this evening before travelling on to Andorra tomorrow.

3. #BAKU Three Irish fighters will have a chance to fight for World Championship medals in Baku, Azerbaijan today.

Darren O’Neill, John Joe Nevin and Michael Conlon all secured their places at the London 2012 Olympics with wins yesterday, and will be hoping to progress to the semi-finals of their respective competitions when they return to the ring later today.

4. #AIRTRICITY LEAGUE League leaders Sligo Rovers continued their sparkling form with a 5-0 win over nine-man Dundalk at the Showgrounds last night. Champions Shamrock Rovers will have a chance to rejoin the Bit O’Red at the summit when  they play one of their two games in hand against cross-city rivals Bohemians tonight.

In the First Division, Cork City struck an important blow in their chase for an automatic promotion spot last night by beating Monaghan United 3-1 at Turner’s Cross.

5. #LIMERICK GAA Former Cork boss John Allen appears to be the preferred candidate of the Limerick county board as they prepare to name Donal O’Grady’s successor as senior hurling manager.

According to reports this morning, Allen’s appointment will be ratified next week.

Best stays in – for now – as Kidney names unchanged side for Wales

Baku latest: mixed fortunes for Irish in Tuesday’s evening session