Home

• Ed Joyce was 160 not out as Ireland defeated Afghanistan by 12 runs today.
• Corkman John Twomey will carry Ireland’s flag at the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games.

Ed Joyce at the crease on his way to 160. Presseye / Rowland White/INPHO Presseye / Rowland White/INPHO / Rowland White/INPHO

• The rigours of being a dual star in the GAA will be exemplified by Podge Collins this weekend as he faces two Championship games in two codes inside 27 hours.
• Dublin have been landed a blow in their quest for back-to-back All-Irelands as James McCarthy looks to have injured his knee ligaments.
• Tipp football boss is not happy about having to travel to Derry to take on Cavan.

Away

• The IOC are exploring what options they have to ban all Russian athletes from the Olympics.

Boxing coach Zaur Anita and hockey coach Craig Fulton share notes before their teams take off on their Olympic odyssey. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

• England have only gone and interviewed Steve Bruce for the vacant managerial position. Big Sam’s appointment looks imminent.
• That Paul Pogma move you’re waiting on should be done any. minute. now… here’s all today’s transfer goss.
• The Olympic Sevens squads have been rolling in of late, here’s Team GB, and here’s USA.

The Best Thing We Shared

This is an ad for a sports drink popular on the other side of the Atlantic, but as a short cartoon, it’s terrific viewing too.
https://www.facebook.com/Gatorade/videos/10154294330013864/

Where We Were Today

Kevin O’Brien went along to the launch of football All-Ireland series to hear what these boys had to say.

Gary Carr / INPHO Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO

On The Record

You can be a young lad playing in Europe instead of sitting on a bench in England. You might be over there since you’re 17, getting maybe 10 games a year.”

– Alan Bennett talks about the joys of European football and his vision for Cork City.

Fixture List

It’s time for more Champions League qualifiers tomorrow night. Dundalk are in Iceland with the score one-all hoping to get a result to see them past FH Hafnarfjordur (kick-off 20.15).

Scottish champions Celtic are back home after their humbling in Gibraltar. They will look to overturn the 1 – 0 defeat to Lincoln Red Imps at 19.45.

Showbiz, Baby

This is why we’d love The Mountain to go and bloody do something* in Game of Thrones. Hafþór Björnsson is PUMPED for some world’s strongest man action.
https://www.facebook.com/bleacherreport/videos/10154186767841006/

*Aside from rip the head off that one sparrow.

The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!