ireland.com - The Irish Times

Rooney gives United hope
SOCCER/Uefa Champions League semi-final: Manchester Utd 3, AC Milan 2 Manchester United guaranteed a thrilling night at San Siro next week and their players will tingle with the memory of this wonderful win. They had been 2-1 down and in a state of dismay before a comeback completed 15 seconds into stoppage time. Wayne Rooney plucked his second goal of the night by lashing Ryan Giggs' pass first time to find the net at the near post. p

Russell is just magic on Mansony
RACING: Winning at the Punchestown Festival is rarely a straight-forward matter and Mansony's dramatic victory in yesterday's featured Kerrygold Champion Chase only emphasised the point. p

Cheika may give O'Donohue his chance
RUGBY: Leinster coach Michael Cheika's policy of offering young players an opportunity to test their mettle with the senior elite continued with the promotion of scrumhalf Paul O'Donohue to an extended Leinster squad ahead of Friday's Magners Celtic League game against the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium. p

Soccer

Ferguson hails his battling heroes
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson hailed his battling side after they came from behind to beat AC Milan in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final last night. p
Ronaldo and Kaka set the tone
The stage was set last night for a command performance by the two great young stars of European club football. What a shame, you could not help thinking, this meeting of two great clubs was not the final itself. p
Benitez ready to lay ghost
Rafael Benitez spoke of the "pressure" before departing for London. He was referring as much to the stifling sense of expectation that will surely saddle tonight's opponents, Chelsea, as the grim realisation that the Champions League represents Liverpool's only remaining route to silverware this season - either way, Stamford Bridge will be an arena choked by the tension this evening. A long-awaited rematch lies ahead. p
Jose up to usual tricks
Chelsea v Liverpool: Jose Mourinho wasted no opportunity to bait his opponents ahead of tonight's Champions League semi-final by predicting Liverpool players would try to provoke Didier Drogba into a booking that would see the striker miss the second leg. p
Staunton leaves the door open for Kenny to return
Shay Given, Darren O'Dea and Aiden McGeady have joined the list of absentees from the Republic of Ireland's post-season trip to the US, according to Steve Staunton. But the manager says the door is open to Sheffield United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny if he wishes - as he indicated last week he did - to return to the international set-up after the summer. p
Soccer Shorts
A roundup of today's other stories in brief. p

Gaelic Games

Win can help slake Donegal thirst
Jack O'Connor's column: Former Kerry manager Jack O'Connor looks at the tactical and psychological implications of last Sunday's league final p
Mitchell guides Wicklow to national stage
Hurling National League finals: After making sensational progress behind the scenes in recent weeks Wicklow hurlers get to further enhance their new reputation in Semple Stadium on Sunday - and look out for the influence of a certain DJ Carey. p
Shefflin likely to return to Kilkenny starting line-up
Kilkenny and Waterford will be at full strength for Sunday's Allianz National Hurling League final in Thurles - surprisingly the first such final meeting between the counties. It will be later in the week before the starting line-ups are confirmed although few changes are expected from their semi-final wins last Sunday week. p
League final figure needs to be put in context
On Gaelic Games: League time draws to a close and halfway between the Division One finals we have seen once again what a curious competition it is. Much given to existential angst, it frequently prompts more agonising over the crowds it draws and the venues at which it's played than over the matches which determine its outcome. p

Rugby

Ospreys move closer
Ospreys, inspired by James Hook, moved within five points of Celtic League leaders Leinster following a 19-6 win over Llanelli at Stradey Park last night. p

Racing

Rely on In Compliance
It might not be the Cheltenham version for which he was well fancied but In Compliance can taste Guinness Gold Cup glory at Punchestown this afternoon and end a frustrating season on a high note. p
Cork All Star fits the bill
Cork All Star will create a little bit of racing history today if he can add the Grade One Paddy Power Champion Bumper to his memorable Cheltenham Festival victory last month. A total of four Cheltenham winners have attempted to follow up here at Punchestown but all have failed, including when Montelado failed to confirm placings with Tiananmen Square in a memorable first renewal back in 1992. p

Other

Allen puts 'gutted' Doherty to the sword
SNOOKER: World Championship Mark Allen, the 21-year-old Northern Ireland left-hander, in only his second professional season, yesterday created the first major shock of the World Championship in Sheffield by defeating Ken Doherty, the world number two and the champion in 1997. p
Phillips set for Irish event
EQUESTRIAN: World and European champion Zara Phillips has confirmed she will be part of a large British contingent travelling to Ireland for next month's Tattersalls international horse trials. p
Emotions run high as heroes return
CRICKET: The Ireland team's World Cup journey ended with an emotional homecoming at Dublin airport yesterday afternoon. As captain Trent Johnston and coach Adrian Birrell led the squad through the arrivals hall they were met by cheers of support from 300 well-wishers as family and friends competed for room with politicians, the media and some of the Blarney Army, recognisable by faces unseasonably tanned. p
Sri Lanka reach final
CRICKET: Mahela Jayawardene's masterful maiden World Cup century led Sri Lanka into the World Cup final with an 81-run victory against New Zealand in Jamaica yesterday. They face the winners of today's other semi-final between Australia and South Africa. p
Roche selected to ride in Tour of Italy
CYCLING: Giro d'Italia A good run of results in recent French Cup races has led to Nicolas Roche being selected to line out in the 2007 Giro d'Italia, one of his big targets for the season. p
Ireland coast home
Sports Digest: TENNIS Ireland beat Malta 3-0 in their group three second-round Federation Cup match (Europe/Africa zone) in Mauritius yesterday. p

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Rooney gives United hope

Russell is just magic on Mansony

Cheika may give O'Donohue his chance

Ferguson hails his battling heroes

Ronaldo and Kaka set the tone

Benitez ready to lay ghost

Jose up to usual tricks

Staunton leaves the door open for Kenny to return

Soccer Shorts

Win can help slake Donegal thirst

Mitchell guides Wicklow to national stage

Shefflin likely to return to Kilkenny starting line-up

League final figure needs to be put in context

Ospreys move closer

Rely on In Compliance

Cork All Star fits the bill

Allen puts 'gutted' Doherty to the sword

Phillips set for Irish event

Emotions run high as heroes return

Sri Lanka reach final

Roche selected to ride in Tour of Italy

Ireland coast home

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