RUGBY
There’s renewed concern regarding Tadhg Furlong’s fitness ahead of the Six Nations.
He remains on the sideline with a calf injury, and has not been considered for Saturday’s PRO 14 derby with Munster.
James Lowe and Garry Ringrose will have respective groin and jaw injuries monitored ahead of the game at Thomond Park.
But Sean Cronin and Ciaran Frawley are fit for the trip to Limerick.
====
South Africa director of rugby Rassie Erasmus says they’ll entertain all options to have the Lions tour go ahead.
The Springboks are due to face the Lions in the first of three tests in Johannesburg on July 24th.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has place that in doubt.
Erasmus did not rule out playing the series on British and Irish soil if required.
SOCCER
Andy Reid has left the role of Republic of Ireland under-18 head coach.
The former Ireland midfielder has taken on the full-time position of under-23 coach at Nottingham Forest.
Reid has been in charge of the Ireland under-18s for nearly two years.
There have been 16 positive coronavirus tests at Premier League clubs in the latest round of screening.
Checks were carried out on 3-thousand-115 players and staff in the past week.
The total of confirmed cases is down from 36 in the previous week.
Top flight sides have been reminded of Covid-19 protocols recently, including trying to maintain distance during goal celebrations.
In the Premier League tonight, Arsenal host Newcastle from 8.
====
Neil Lennon believes the criticism Celtic have received over their training trip to Dubai has been "unfair."
The manager, his assistant and 13 players have all been self isolating after Christopher Jullien tested positive for Covid on their return to Scotland.
Another player has since tested positive.
But Lennon says he's angry at how the club have been portrayed
====
Newcastle are tonight looking to end a run of six Premier League games without a win.
Steve Bruce’s side are away to Arsenal from 8.
CRICKET
A man of the match performance from Simi Singh saw Ireland tie their one-day series with the UAE.
The spinner took five wickets having earlier scored a maiden 50 as Ireland won the second international by 112 runs.
Ireland begin a three-match series with Afghanistan on Thursday.
RACING
Envoi Allen remains unbeaten in 11 racecourse starts after his success under Jack Kennedy in the Grade 3 Sky Bet Killiney Novice Chase at Punchestown on Sunday. The race was robbed of a much-anticipated clash between the Gordon Elliott-trained superstar and Willie Mullins’ Asterion Forlonge when the latter crashed out at the very first fence, but there was plenty to like about how the winner went about his business. Once again, his jumping was flawless and he readily brushed aside the Joseph O'Brien-trained Fils D’Oudairies to score by three and a half lengths. Elliott said of the successful 1/2 favourite, “It’s a bit of an anti-climax with the other horse going at the first. Jack said he went around in second gear with his ears pricked. When he asked him to quicken going to the last he did and he quickened again on the run-in. I think he’d be better with a lead as he’s idle, he had to do his own donkey work today. I’d say we will go straight to Cheltenham. He’s been there twice and shown that he can win around it.” Kennedy added, “The loose horses had my heart in my mouth a few times. They crossed over me but Envoi Allen is so honest he never took his eye off the fence. He’s unbelievable and a very clever horse. He only really does what he has to do. He was very idle the whole way around in front but as soon as I sat into the saddle he put the race to bed.”
Kevin Brouder won with a bit to spare on the Charles Byrnes-trained Light Brigade in the two-mile maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse on Tuesday. The first of two winners for the Listowel jockey, the 2/5 favourite only needed to be pushed out to hold the challenge of the Gordon Elliott-trained 100/30 chance Purdey’s Gift by half a length. He doubled up when taking the second division of the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle on Hilltop Supreme which is trained in Askeaton by Davy Fitzgerald. The 9/1 chance wasn’t perfect at the final flight but dug deep to beat the Denise Foster-trained 11/4 chance Memory Of Youth by three-parts of a length.
Jack Kennedy and Gordon Elliott landed the two-mile conditions’ hurdle with Percy Warner but the five-year-old was possibly the luckiest winner of the afternoon. He was left disputing the lead then 4/9 favourite Sizing Pottsie, a clear but visibly tiring leader, fell at the final hurdle and battled well to get the better of the Willie Mullins-trained Low sun by half a length. The Basil Holian-owned winner was returned at odds of 11/4. Phillip Enright was next into the winners’ enclosure after he took the mares’ maiden hurdle on the Robert Tyner-trained Queen Jesse Jay. The 20/1 chance led over the final flight and comfortably beat Gordon Elliott’s Daphne Moon by a length and a quarter for owner Brendan Keogh.
County Kildare trainer Paul Fahey and Paddy Kennedy took the two miles and seven furlong- handicap hurdle with Ballyshannon Rose at Fairyhouse on Saturday. It was a fourth win in a row for the 9/4 favourite and she comfortably held the Gavin Cromwell-trained Tokyo Getaway by a length and three-parts. Kennedy has partnered to success on three of those wins.
