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Riders at Fairyhouse yesterday. INPHO/Lorraine O'Sullivan
Early Doors

The Morning Score: Wednesday

Here’s what you need to know…

Every morning TheScore.ie serves up the stories you need to know with your morning coffee.

1. #RELIEF Andy Carroll scored his first Premier League goal in 517 minutes of play as ten man Liverpool won out in a truly bizarre game at Ewood Park.

The visitors took the lead, then doubled it in the space of three minutes through two goals from Maxi Rodriguez. Stand-in keeper Alexander Doni was then given his marching orders for bringing down Junior Hoilett before his replacement Brad Jones saved a poor penalty from Yakubu.

Rovers’ Nigerian striker did find the back of the net though, first with a header, then after Jones had handed Steve Kean’s side another spot-kick.

But Carroll proved the unlikely hero as he headed home the winner in stoppage time.

2. #BOYCOTT Monaghan hurler Mickey McHugh has said that the senior panel were left with no choice but to effectively go on strike for this weekend’s NHL Division 3A final.

After the resignation of manager Mattie Lennon due to a dispute over a clash of fixtures, the players decided that they will be giving Fingal a walkover on Sunday.

“We were going to be getting ready for a league final. We felt it unfair to ask the players to choose between club and county. It basically meant that we would have had up to 10 or 12 players not being able to attend training,” said McHugh.

3. #HEINEKEN CUP Ulster’s John Afoa has been cited for an alleged “tip tackle” on Felix Jones during Sunday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final at Thomond Park on Sunday.

The New Zealander will appear in front of a disciplinary committee in Dublin on Thursday and if found guilty, would be likely to miss his side’s semi-final meeting with Edinburgh in a fortnight’s time.

4. #TITLE RACE The gap at the top of La Liga is down to just one point after Barcelona thumped Getafe 4-0 last night. Two goals from Chilean international Alexis Sanchez plus one each by Lionel Messi and Pedro ensured a comfortable victory for the Catalan giants. Jose Mourinho’s side face Atletico on the Madrid derby tonight.

5. #WHY ALWAYS HIM? Mario Balotelli will not receive any further punishment from the English FA for his late tackle on Arsenal’s Alex Song. The Manchester City striker was sent off over the weekend for an off-the-ball incident but as it was a retrospective action which was witnessed by the match officials, the FA cannot add to his suspension. He is likely to be handed a three-game ban for the sending off, however.

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