SOCCER
Relegation to League C of the Nations League awaits the Republic of Ireland tonight if they lose to Bulgaria.
Callum O’Dowda has added to Stephen Kenny’s lengthy absentee list - the Bristol City winger has a dead leg.
The Shamrock Rovers trio of Jack Byrne, Graham Burke and Aaron McEneff have all made the matchday 23.
Despite a disappointing start to his tenure, Kenny says there are plenty of positives to take from the Nations League campaign.
Kick-off at the Aviva is at 7.45.
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Mo Salah is set to miss the next three Liverpool matches.
His latest coronavirus swab has returned positive, and he remains in isolation in Egypt.
Salah originally tested positive last Friday.
Liverpool welcome Leicester to Anfield on Sunday, before a game with Atalanta in the Champions League.
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Shelbourne have confirmed that manager Ian Morris will remain in place despite the club's relegation to the SSE Airtricity First Division.
Morris won the 2019 First Division title in his first year in charge, but Shels finished second from bottom in the Premier Division at the end of this season.
They were relegated after losing to Longford Town in last weekend's play-off match.
A second outbreak of COVID-19 at Derry City has forced their 'Extra-dot-i-e' F-A-I Cup quarter-final with Sligo to be postponed.
The match will now take place on Wednesday of next week at 7.30pm.
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RUGBY
Head coach Andy Farrell says Ross Byrne deserves his start at out-half against England.
He replaces the injured Jonathan Sexton for the Autumn Nations Cup game at Twickenham on Saturday.
Bundee Aki comes in for Robbie Henshaw in the centre, while Keith Earls replaces Andrew Conway on the wing.
Jacob Stockdale and Iain Henderson are both among the replacements.
C-J Stander wants to prove to his former Munster director of rugby that Ireland are not softies.
Rassie Erasmus made the claim to his Springbok players, ahead of last year’s World Cup semi-final with Wales.
Stander’s been named in the back-row for Saturday’s clash with England, and will do so with the bit between his teeth.
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SNOOKER
Fergal O’Brien is the latest Irish player to suffer a second round exit at the Northern Ireland Open.
The Dubliner lost 4-1 to Thailand’s Thepchaiya Un-Nooh.
Earlier, Ken Doherty lost 4-3 to Kyren Wilson.
Mark Allen’s in action later against Robert Milkins.
