Previous Day
Staunton must get it right in midfield
SOCCER/Republic of Ireland v Germany: Perhaps
having come to appreciate in Prague just how difficult it was to
raise Ireland's game to the point where they might beat one of this
group's top two sides, Steve Staunton seemed content to lower
expectations yesterday at Croke Park where, surprisingly, he
conceded his side would start this evening's European Championship
qualifier as outsiders. p
First cut could prove lethal
RUGBY: This is it then, le Crunch yet again. The
nagging feeling remains that the 2007 Coupe du Monde in France has
already served up its best game and that was in Cardiff. p
Drogheda stay focused in latest trip towards title
SOCCER/Shamrock Rovers 0 Drogheda United 2: Drogheda have everything but a little finger on this, their first, league title. p
Rugby 
'Titi' comes out of his shell
France v England : In conversation the France flanker is intensely shy and soft-spoken while evincing a Zen-like calm and modesty, but on the rugby field he becomes a veritable wrecking machine, writes Gerry Thornley. pWho will blink first, England or France?
England's capacity to produce the performance that materialised against Australia was probably flagged a little in their victory over Tonga and, to a lesser extent, Samoa. They demonstrated in those pool games that the team dynamic had improved and, coupled with key players returning from injury, it made them more potent. pFamily men cooking up a storm
Semi-final/South Africa v Argentina: The Pumas generate a sense of camaraderie others can only envy, writes Gerry Thornley. They also have a talent for thriving on adversity. But they need help to maintain their present momentum pArgentina have real chance of success
The third-best team in the world against the fourth-best, yet despite the shots fired across the other two Southern Hemisphere giants a week ago, seemingly this is the biggest foregone conclusion of any World Cup semi-final in some time. South Africa expects and so does everybody else. pStortoni adds to Leinster tale of woe
Celtic League/Glasgow Warriors 21 Leinster 17: A last-minute try by Glasgow fullback Bernardo Stortoni gave the Warriors victory at Firhill last night in a match that seemed destined to go the way of the visitors. pUlster are hit by Scarlets cyclone
Scarlets 32 Ulster 8: Ulster got hit by the same Scarlet whirlwind that robbed Leinster of their 16-match unbeaten home run the previous weekend as their Celtic League difficulties continued at Stradey Park. pOspreys have the reserves
Ospreys v Munster: Munster are beginning to shape into something resembling their new image for this season. The backline recruitment process will be evident for all to see tomorrow at the Liberty Stadium when they face the Celtic League champions and most potent opponents in the competition. pConnacht pay for their sinbinnings
Cardiff Blues 30 Connacht 16: Connacht could not keep pace with league leaders Cardiff who pulled away in the second half to record their fifth win and secure a bonus point in last evening's clash. pThe World is Oval
Today's other rugby stories pWhat a Webb Ellis these last four weave
Sideline Cut: The appearance of England in this weekend's rugby World Cup semi-final has surely rubbed salt into the wounds of the apparently endless numbers of disillusioned Irish fans. After humbly accepting - and even applauding - the combination of rugby flair and abundant patriotism that won the day so convincingly in Croke Park last February, the English have not so much reinvented themselves as rediscovered themselves. p
Fans? No, just customers
Tom Humphries on the irretrievable breakdown in the relationship between fans and players and administrators who see not failure, only blips pPlayers may need to hurt a bit more
One of the greatest frustrations I experienced as senior manager was the reactions of players after a disappointing result. Everyone seems to be hurting except them pAvoiding defeat could again be a bonus
Steve Staunton is talking about his memories of that night in Ibaraki, when he won his 100th cap for Ireland in a 1-1 draw with Germany at the 2002 World Cup finals. The man who scored the injury-time equaliser, Robbie Keane, is sitting beside his then captain in the media centre at Croke Park. If the pair launched into a Statler and Waldorf-style reminiscing session about how perfect the old days were you could hardly blame them; they have had little to savour since on the international front. pCourteous visitors give little away
The sign on the hotel function room door read "Operation Smile Ireland", so we knew we were in the wrong place. Sure enough, across the hall, a couple of stars from the campaign to make this proud little nation of ours collectively frown this evening, were clambering up on stage to face the press. pMcLeish pleads for caution
Scotland v Ukraine: Alex McLeish attempted to lead by example yesterday by providing the first composed Scottish performance of what should be a defining week for the national team, just 24 hours before his players are looking to do the same against Ukraine. pHuge boost for Givens
Sweden 2 Rep of Ireland 3: The Republic of Ireland under-21 side produced a thrilling attacking display to record a memorable friendly win over Sweden in Uppsala last night. pA not-so-old Harte is getting there
A Year on The Wear: As the place where Bob Paisley was born almost 90 years ago, the former pit village of Hetton-le-Hole has its place in football history guaranteed. pTime for Owen and Rooney to deliver
Group E/England v Estonia : Considering the 18 goals they have already conceded in Group E, Estonia could be regarded as a beginners' course for strikers. Although Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney are far from being novices, their partnership in attack for England has barely started to come to life. Some sort of rapport must be developed because Steve McClaren will need players of their quality in harmony if his team reach the Euro 2008 finals. pStudents hold Derry
Derry City 0 UCD 0: UCD's impressive record at the Brandywell continued last night. pSligo almost snatch draw
Sligo Rovers 2 St Patrick's Athletic 3: A blistering finish by Paul Cooke's side came within a whisker of forcing a dramatic draw at the Showgrounds last night. pBetter for Bohemians
Bohemians 2 Galway United 0: It has been a bad week for Bohemians on and off the field but last night event's at Dalymount Park went some way to repairing the damage. pCork's title bid falters
Bray Wanderers 1 Cork City 1: Cork City stretched their unbeaten record to 12 games but any lingering hopes of overtaking leaders Drogheda United were effectively ended when held to a draw by a battling Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds last night. p
Forced to do too much too young
Player burnout: The overuse of gifted young players must be addressed by the GAA, writes Seán Moran pHurlers ready for Scotland
The Irish senior and under-21 squads play Scotland in this weekend's Hurling/Shinty Internationals in Fort William. p
Els and Stenson are hot on trail of Harrington
World Matchplay Championship/Quarter-finals: At some stage today, Padraig Harrington is scheduled to board a commercial flight to Bermuda on his way to participate in the so-called 'Grand Slam of Golf,' even though Tiger Woods won't be there. pCabrera the man to beat
The way the HSBC World Matchplay has panned out over the past two days shows this is indeed a "world" championship. Of the four survivors, one hails from South America, one from South Africa, one from the US . . . and, with a sigh of relief, one from Europe. Four corners of the globe are covered, so to speak. pMcIlroy stays in the hunt in Spain
Madrid Open Leading scores: Rory McIlroy got his bid for a first European Tour title back on track with a second-round 68 in the Madrid Open. pGolf Digest
Today's other stories in brief p
Aussies do best to get over hump
Camel Racing: Barbara McMahon watched as camels lifted the gloom after a recent outbreak of equine flu in Sydney pWeight hike worries McNamara
Eric McNamara is worried Ponmeoath's hike in the ratings could scupper his chances of following up a recent Listowel success in the ladbrokes.com National Handicap Chase at Limerick tomorrow. p
Naturally talented but Taylor made for success
BOXING: World champion in India last November, adding that title to successive European golds, no wonder Katie Taylor is confident ahead of the European championships in Denmark. Seán Kenny reports pCourageous Power a warrior for all seasons
On Athletics: I lived for a while in Providence, Rhode Island, studying hard but training a lot harder, and it was during that time I first came across the Clare athlete Séamus Power. We both ran in the 1992 NCAA cross-country championships in Bloomington, Indiana, and though I was running for Brown University and Power for East Tennessee we felt an immediate bond - two Irish youngsters dreaming about making the big time. pGambling inquiry
TENNIS: The sport's ruling bodies have agreed to use outside help to investigate and prevent potential corruption in the sport. The International Tennis Federation, the ATP tour, which runs the men's circuit, the WTA women's tour, and the Grand Slam Committee agreed at a meeting in London yesterday to hire an outside firm to assess the danger that gambling poses to the sport, the groups said in a press release. p
