Jonathan Sexton and Jamie Heaslip at this evening's Leinster-Bath pre-season friendly. Tommy Dickson / INPHO Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO

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• Tipperary have played down talk of a Seamus Callanan injury ahead of next week’s All-Ireland decider.
  
• Shane Duffy has become Brighton’s record signing, while Blackburn have signed two other Irish defenders in the wake of the Derry native’s departure.
• Dundalk have discovered their fate in the Europa League draw.
• Shane Lowry has posted a round of 65 in Denmark to bolster his Ryder Cup hopes.
• Cork All-Ireland winners Seán Óg Ó hAilpín and Tom Kenny have taken their first steps into management.
• Irish Olympian Stephanie Meadow is the clubhouse leader at the Canadian Open.

Away

• Thierry Henry has been named assistant coach to new Belgium boss Roberto Martinez.
• Swimmer Ryan Lochte has been charged with falsely reporting a robbery in Brazil.
• Europe’s top four leagues will now get four guaranteed Champions League spots.
• Another talented youngster, Andreas Pereira, has exited Man United on loan.
• Arsenal are reportedly on the verge of signing Deportivo La Coruna attacker Lucas Perez.

The Best Thing We Shared

Sky Sports’ Dublin-Kerry preview is well worth a watch.
https://www.facebook.com/SkySports/videos/10154477033333762/

On The Record

It was a young human being who got lost in circumstances and didn’t know how to react. I put my hands behind my head and laid back in the manager’s office. He [Steve Bruce] looked at me, saying ‘this could be serious, this could be two years or four years banned’. I didn’t care.”

Hull midfielder Jake Livermore on how “testing positive for cocaine saved my career”.

Where we were today

Tommy Dickson / INPHO Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO

Murray Kinsella is at the RDS watching Leinster v Bath.

The Fixture List

• There’s plenty of Premier League action this weekend, including Liverpool v Tottenham in the early Saturday kick-off.
• In addition to tonight’s matches, there’s more League of Ireland action this weekend, including Sligo v Galway on Saturday.
• Paul O’Donovan takes part in the men’s lightweight single sculls at the world championships on Saturday.
• It’s a big weekend in GAA, with Dublin facing Kerry in the All-Ireland SFC semi-final on Sunday.
• There are Top 14 matches as well as Rugby Championship action on Saturday, including New Zealand against Australia.

Showbiz, Baby!

A new sponsor coughed up cash for Ryan Lochte as others bailed out.

PA Wire / Press Association Images PA Wire / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

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