ireland.com - The Irish Times

Kidney to take over at Leinster
Rugby: In a surprise about-turn, Declan Kidney will be installed as the new Leinster coach later this week pending a compensation package being agreed between the province and the Gwent Dragons, with whom the outgoing Ireland coach had signed a two-year deal two weeks ago. Gerry Thornley Rugby correspondent reports p

Houllier's reign ends
Soccer: Liverpool retain hope that they can still lure the Porto coach Jose Mourinho to Anfield as successor to Gerard Houllier, who yesterday became the first manager sacked by the club in almost half a century. p

Corbett injury a blow to Tipperary's preparations
Gaelic Games: Tipperary hurling manager Ken Hogan will have to plan without forward Lar Corbett for their Munster semi-final against Waterford on June 6th. The Thurles Sarsfields player fractured his ankle at a team training session on Saturday morning. Tipperary played a challenge game against Laois on Sunday and Corbett had been selected to start that game at full forward. p

Agassi left sprawling in the clay
Tennis: Andre Agassi came along just in time to save Jerome Haehnel from a life of checking in every morning, hanging up his coat and planting himself at a desk. Agassi rescued the unknown player from proper work. Johnny Watterson at Roland Garros reports p

Doubts rise on Keane's return
Roy Keane's participation in Thursday's international game against Romania was thrown into renewed doubt last night when it was revealed that the Manchester United midfielder will stay on at his club's training base until at least this morning in order to receive further treatment to thigh and knee injuries. p
Pile-up a likely fixture for the future
Emmet Malone/On Soccer: With opportunities for players here to earn representative honours so thin on the ground, events like the four-nation inter-league tournament held in Scotland last week should be occasions for some celebration within the Eircom League. p
Captain Cannavaro aims for Euro summit
Paddy Agnew/Euroscene: So then, can Italy go 20 seconds better than in Euro 2000 and make up for the disappointment of that last-gasp failure against France in the Rotterdam final four years ago? p

Squad named as talks put back
Although the 26-man Irish squad for the proposed two-test tour to South Africa next month was named as scheduled yesterday, the cloud that hangs over the tour taking place remains. p
So much to savour from a season of rich pickings
Gerry Thornley/On Rugby: The last rites have still to be performed on the English domestic season and, most punishingly of all, on the French season, where Toulouse still have potentially another six games over five weekends to play. p

Westmeath fate in balance
Officials of the Leinster Council were last night again left undecided about the possible disqualification of the Westmeath senior hurling team from the provincial championship, the result of the apparently illegal use of substitutes in their win over Kildare last Sunday week. p
Ulster not ruling out Croke Park
Ulster Council would have no "principled objections" to an Armagh-Tyrone provincial football final being played in Croke Park. The suggestion, first made by GAA director general Liam Mulvihill in his annual report last month, has been given fresh currency by the strong performances of last year's All-Ireland finalists in this year's championship to date. p
Saturday can't come too soon for Carr
Keith Duggan finds the Roscommon manager not bothered about facing Sligo so soon after Sunday's draw - in fact he's eager to get on with it p

Harrington taking his own line
Without a doubt, Padraig Harrington is a man who, as he says, "would never follow the pack in anything, I do it my own way." p

Meath set for a step up in France
The Aidan O'Brien-trained Meath has earned his own shot at Classic glory and will be aimed at the French Derby at Chantilly. p

Hussain's best may be for last Scoreboard
Cricket: In the aftermath of one of his great cricketing triumphs, Nasser Hussain last night dropped the broadest of hints that he might bring down the curtain on his 96-Test career. p
ICU should have played business card for Northants visit
Cricket Column/James Fitzgerald: When Kyle McCallan hit the winning runs for Ireland to complete a wonderful win over Surrey at Castle Avenue last month, the first reaction for most people at the ground was unbridled delight at having put one over on our full-time neighbours across the water. p
O'Sullivan sticks with 5,000 metres
Athletics: Nothing will change in Sonia O'Sullivan's plan for the Athens Olympics despite her surprisingly bright start to the season, confirmed with Sunday's win in the Manchester 10km road race. p
Cohnen takes stage after tight contest
Cycling/Rás: After five riders took almost two minutes out of the rest of the field on Sunday's opening stage of the FBD Milk Rás, it was expected that yesterday's second leg of the race would be a more tightly controlled affair. p

Sections