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Fitzgerald replaces Staunton in tour party
RUGBY: Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan has decided to redirect Wasps outhalf Jeremy Staunton to the A squad preparing for the Churchill Cup in England rather than take him to Argentina as originally planned. Instead Leinster's Luke Fitzgerald will take Staunton's place with the senior party. p

Tevez affair far from finished
SOCCER: West Ham United are set to pick up a multimillion-pound windfall if they sell Carlos Tevez this summer in a situation that is bound to infuriate the "gang of four" clubs who continue to contest the striker's right to play in the Premiership. p

Cork bring in Canty and name Cussen at full forward
GAA: Cork full back Graham Canty will make his long-awaited return to competitive football in Sunday's Munster quarter-final against Limerick at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. It's exactly 10 months since Canty sustained a knee cruciate ligament injury during Cork's Munster final replay win over Kerry. p

Derby earn trip to Wembley
English Championship Play-off semi-final/Derby County 2 Southampton 3: Derby County earned their Wembley play-off final spot with a dramatic penalty shoot-out win (4-3) over Southampton. p
Injured Saha's United future in doubt
Alex Ferguson's relationship with Louis Saha has become increasingly strained because of the striker's susceptibility to injury, with the Frenchman claiming he was not fit enough even to attend Manchester United's end-of-season dinner. p
Rooney stokes up Irish firing line
European Under-19 Championship: Dominant defenders and masterful midfielders will always win admirers among football managers and fans, but few prove quite as alluring as a striker who is averaging a goal a game. p
Ramos keen to return 'favour'
Uefa Cup final Preview/Sevilla v Espanyol: Juande Ramos has fond memories of the time thousands of Celtic fans descended on the city of Seville to watch their team battled vainly for the Uefa Cup in an epic final against Porto. p
Soccer Digest
Gamble gets the call Republic of Ireland manager Steve Staunton yesterday suffered five withdrawals from his squad for next week's senior international games in the United States. Stephen Elliot and Liam Miller (both Sunderland) and Manchester City's Stephen Ireland pulled out of the panel citing family reasons, while Sheffield United's Derek Geary (hip and ankle) and Wigan Athletic's Caleb Folan (knee) will miss the trip due to injury. p

Addiction of the magical moments
Jack O'Connor on how being a manager is like running a decent-sized company in your spare time p
Agus rud eile . . .
Longford and Westmeath mightn't be the marquee names of the game but they got the summer off to a good start on Sunday. Neither side are likely candidates for climbing the steps of Croke Park in September but there was lots at stake at Pearse Park. Tomás Ó Flatharta is trying to re-establish Westmeath as a force after the blow-out against the Dubs last year. Victory here would have been a great starting point. p
Mortimer ready to be tested once again
Championship 2007 News round-up: These are testing times in Mayo. Anyone worried about John O'Mahony juggling his roles as election candidate and football manager should spare some sympathy for Conor Mortimer. Like O'Mahony, one half of his brain is concentrating on Sunday's Connacht football showdown against Galway, and the other half, instead of politics, is concentrating on studies. p
Offaly's fear for their status is well founded
On Gaelic Games: These were supposed to be a few weeks of a lull in the hurling season but Saturday's Central Council meeting was significant in terms of how the game will progress from next year. Although it's impossible not to feel sympathy for John McIntyre and the plight of Offaly hurlers there is more to this debate than the fate of one county. p

New boy's not just winging it
Brian Carney interview: John O'Sullivan talks to the Munster winger about his transition from rugby league and his aspirations following elevation to the Irish touring squad p
Cheika finalises squad for next season
LeinsterSquad2007/2008: As Leinster head coach Michael Cheika flies home to Australia today on holidays, he leaves behind a finalised squad that he hopes will take the province a step closer to Heineken European Cup success next season. p
TV blackout of Argentina tour
It is increasingly unlikely that Ireland's two Test tour of Argentina will be broadcast live on any television station. RTÉ Sport have received no confirmation from the Argentinian rugby union (UAR) regarding their bid despite the deadline passing last Monday, writes Gavin Cummiskey . p

Clarke out of Adare and The K Club
Ultimately, it came down to a stark choice for Darren Clarke. After undergoing an MRI scan in London yesterday on his hamstring injury, the Ulsterman was given two scenarios: play in the Irish Open, and risk an entire summer of inactivity; don't play, undergo further intensive treatment, and be fit in time to play in next week's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. p
Westwood is back in the winning mood
Philip Reid talks to a player whose recent victory in the Andalucian Open has given the Irish Open at Adare Manor a timely boost p

Piggott's condition is not life-threatening
Lester Piggott Day at Newmarket on Saturday may have to take place without its guest of honour, but the centre of British Flat racing will be relieved to know that the greatest jockey of his generation is expected to return to his home in the town within the next few days. p

Confident Roche set to continue with strategy
CYCLING/Giro d'Italia: Irish rider Nicolas Roche will continue his Giro d'Italia today when the race hits the first mountains of the three-week tour. The riders had a break from racing yesterday due to their air transfer from Sardinia to mainland Italy. p
Oracle level after comeback
SAILING: American challenger BMW Oracle Racing produced a superb comeback to level their Louis Vuitton Cup semi-final against Italians Luna Rossa yesterday. p
Moore lands third key institute appointment
Digest/SPORTS INSTITUTE: The Irish Institute of Sport was further expanded yesterday with the appointment of Phil Moore as director of athlete services, writes Ian O'Riordan . p

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