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Howard ruled out of Ireland running
RUGBY: PAT HOWARD, one of the frontrunners to succeed Eddie O'Sullivan as Irish coach, can be virtually removed from the running. Four separate sources in Ireland and Australia have said the likeable and well respected former Wallabies centre and Leicester coach has ruled himself out of the equation. At the very least he will need a lot of persuasion. p
Leinster take time to find rhythm
RUGBY/MAGNERS LEAGUE/Leinster 34 Glasgow
18: ANOTHER GOOD Friday for Leinster. Extending their lead
to 10 points at the top of the Magners League table, Michael
Cheika's side showed an impressive sense of purpose and patience to
earn a bonus-point win over a Glasgow side playing with huge
energy. p
War of words as Ferguson criticises Chelsea's behaviour
SOCCER: A WAR of words broke out between Chelsea and Manchester United last night after Alex Ferguson expressed distaste about the behaviour of Ashley Cole and his team-mates during their draw at Tottenham on Wednesday. "I think the haranguing of referees we have seen is absolutely ridiculous," said the United manager. p
Soccer
Ronaldo crucial to United's prospects
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE: On a crucial weekend, Kevin McCarra assesses the leading three clubs in the Premier League title race pEventful career finally comes full circle for relaxed Yorke
A YEAR ON THE WEAR: CAMP NOU, Barcelona, May 26th, 1999, the witching hours before kick-off in the European Cup final. It is a time to be nervous, a time to be focused on the immediate future only. But not Dwight Yorke. Such is the clichéd image of the happy-go-lucky West Indian, Yorke might have been expected to be thinking about post-match antics if not the game itself, but instead, on reaching the stadium, Manchester United's centre forward lapsed into reflection. He took out his mobile phone and made a call of gratitude to Graham Taylor. pSkrtel swiftly gets up to speed with task
The blue-and-white hooped shirt tossed towards the dug-out was not all Shane Long abandoned at Liverpool last weekend. Reading's young striker lost his nerve and concentration too, driven to distraction by a cold, imposing defender revelling in the breaking of an opponent's will. The Irishman's substitution was an act of mercy by Steve Coppell; Martin Skrtel's ruthless triumph was the kind from which crowd favourites emerge. pFAI fine clubs for colours dispute
ST PATRICK'S Athletic and Sligo Rovers have been fined by the FAI's Disciplinary Committee for their respective parts in the dispute over club colours that led to the start of their opening game of the season at Richmond Park being delayed by more than half an hour. pWenger believes consistency will tell at the finish
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE/CHELSEA V ARSENAL: ARSENAL HAVE appeared to be a side gasping on the ropes in recent weeks, their title challenge stalled amid a succession of stalemates. But they will arrive at Stamford Bridge tomorrow convinced they are capable of landing a huge psychological blow themselves. pSt Patrick's keep record to go clear at the top
LEAGUE OF IRELAND PREMIER DIVISION/St Patrick's Athletic 1 Galway United 0: HAVING WON their first five on the trot a year ago, St Patrick's Athletic know well that making the early running counts for little when it comes to the end of the race. pDerry snatch a late point
Cork City 1 Derry City 1: A LATE Conor Sammon strike deep into injury-time extended Cork's poor to start to the season at Turner's Cross last night after Dave Mooney had given the hosts the lead. pRovers move up to second
Shamrock Rovers 2 Bray Wanderers 0: GOALS FROM strikers Alan Murphy and Dessie Baker earned Shamrock Rovers a win to move them up to second in the table as Bray finished with 10 men at Tolka Park last night. pDrogheda hit the goal trail
Drogheda United 3 Cobh Ramblers 0: CHAMPIONS DROGHEDA got off the mark thanks to this three-goal win at United Park. Once the Boynesiders hit the front early on the outcome was never in doubt. pWilliams strike seals the points
Finn Harps 1 UCD 0: FINN HARPS made it two wins from two at Finn Park this season as they overcame UCD in a game of few chances. pCrowe gets deserved winner
Sligo Rovers 1 Bohemians 2: GLEN CROWE'S 62nd-minute strike gave Bohemians a deserved win in this pulsating game at the Showgrounds last night. p
Costly episode an object lesson for union
THE IRELAND COACHING TICKET: If the disastrous mistakes of recent months are not to be repeated the IRFU's kingmakers must change their ways, writes Gerry Thornley pEven with powder dry, Munster can stall Williams revolution
MAGNERS LEAGUE PREVIEW/Munster v Ulster: A GOOD OLD provincial scrap is the perfect tonic after a depressing Six Nations. Never one for nostalgia, however, Declan Kidney has not picked what many would perceive as the strongest Munster side for tonight's provincial derby against a rejuvenated Ulster under Matt Williams. pHorgan signs on for two more years
SHANE HORGAN has committed to Leinster until 2010. A product of the youth system, Horgan made his senior debut against Ulster in 1998 and has been an integral part of the provincial set-up since, first as a centre but primarily on the right wing. He made a try-scoring debut for Ireland against Scotland in the 2000 Six Nations championship. pConnacht's dwindling hopes take another hit
MAGNERS LEAGUE/Edinburgh 38 Connacht 8: CONNACHT'S DWINDLING hopes of Heineken European Cup qualification took another nosedive last evening in Murrayfield. This time it was Andy Robinson's Edinburgh who inflicted the damage to continue Connacht's dismal away record in the Magners League - the western province have not won on the road since they beat the now defunct Borders 18 months ago. p
Dogged Déise a lesson for aspiring Dubs
NATIONAL HURLING LEAGUE/WATERFORD v DUBLIN: Despite their failure to win a senior All-Ireland title, Waterford's hurlers have been consistent diners at hurling's top table over the past decade, writes Tom Humphries pWeekend GAA Previews
Today National Football League - Division Three: Fermanagh v Limerick, Lisnaskea - The sole refixture from Division Three gives Fermanagh the chance to top the table. They've enjoyed the perfect start, winning their three games, and another victory here would see them leapfrog Wexford at the top. p
Up-and-down Clopf capable of returning to winning ways
WEEKEND MEETINGS IN IRELAND : THE FOUR-DAY Fairyhouse Easter festival gets under way this afternoon with the Grade Three Betfair Novice Chase looking a good opportunity for Clopf to get back on the winning track. pMurphy confident Big Zeb has what it takes to win cup
NOBODY HAS supplied Davy Russell with more winners this season than Wexford trainer Colm Murphy and the championship-leading jockey can profit from the link-up again in Grade One style at Fairyhouse tomorrow courtesy of Big Zeb. pBeef Or Salmon set to be off the menu after Fairyhouse
IRISH GRAND NATIONAL NEWS: BEEF OR SALMON heads a field of 26 runners for the €250,000 Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday in what could be the star veteran's last race. p
Kaymer has the game for the long road ahead
WGC-CA CHAMPIONSHIP: AS THE sun warmed up the Doral course yesterday morning and Tiger Woods made his equally inevitable move to the top of the leaderboard in the early second-round play at the CA Championship, the search was on to identify the player who will bring the colossus to his knees, or at the very least beat him over 72 holes. pFresh start for players in West
WEST OF IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIP: WHAT'S AN extra day? Rather than shorten the strokeplay qualifying after losing yesterday's scheduled first day of play in the West of Ireland Amateur Championship at Rosses Point in its entirety, the tournament committee took less than half-an-hour last evening to decide to extend the event to a Wednesday finish. pOtto pilots himself through mountain gales
MADEIRA ISLANDS OPEN: SOUTH AFRICA's Hennie Otto mastered buffeting gusts that interrupted the Madeira Islands Open second round for a time yesterday to surge into a five-stroke lead. p
Tropical storm may lead to free-for-all in Sepang
FORMULA ONE/MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX: LEWIS HAMILTON fought off a strong challenge from the Ferrari team to set the fastest time in the second free practice session for tomorrow's Malaysian Grand Prix. pCarroll's noble rage mellowed to good use
ATHLETICS: Corkman with great engine and fiery commitment matures into charismatic and hugely respected mentor, writes Ian O'Riordan pSerbian banned for his Kosovo protest
SWIMMING: ALAIN BERNARD of France set a world record in the 100 metres freestyle semi-finals at the European Championships in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, last night. But much of the attention was on the decision of Len, the European governing body, to suspend Milorad Cavic of Serbia for the rest of the championships for wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with "Kosovo is Serbia" at the victory ceremony for the men's 50 metres butterfly. pSports digest
Today's other stories in brief p
