RUGBY
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has attempted to put some distance between himself and this summer’s Lions tour.
It had been rumoured that he was likely to join Warren Gatland’s coaching team for the series with the Springboks.
But Farrell insists he’s in the dark regarding Lions preparations
Farrell did say he was delighted with the contract extensions of Peter O’Mahony and Jonathan Sexton.
The former put pen-to-paper today on a fresh two-year central contract to stay at Munster.
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Munster head coach Johann van Graan has again named Joey Carbery on the bench for tomorrow’s Pro 14 derby with Connacht.
He’ll serve as back-up to Ben Healy.
Meanwhile Ireland trio Bundee Aki, Ultan Dillane and Dave Heffernan have been named in the Connacht starting team for the Thomond Park trip.
A Munster win would seal a place in the Pro 14 final.
SOCCER
Seamus Coleman is again missing from the Everton side for this evening’s game away to West Brom.
Dara O’Shea starts for Sam Allardyce’s side at the Hawthorns, with Callum Robinson on the bench.
That game is just underway, as is the meeting of Fulham and Tottenham.
At 8.15, the race for Champions League football intensifies with Liverpool playing host to Chelsea.
It was confirmed today that Liverpool will return to Budapest for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with RB Leipzig.
Jurgen Klopp’s side hold a 2-nil first leg lead.
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Mick McCarthy’s excellent start as Cardiff City manager has been rewarded with a fresh two-year contract.
The former Republic of Ireland boss has led Cardiff to the Championship playoff spots from a nine-game unbeaten run.
GOLF
Rory McIlroy leads on the opening day of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Five consecutive birdies on his back-nine helped him card a 6-under par round of 66.
Shane Lowry is 1-under through two.
While Graeme McDowell is 1-over through two.
Padraig Harrington goes out in the next few moments.
ATHLETICS
Four Irish athletes are in action on the opening evening of the European Indoor Athletics Championships.
First up, Michelle Finn goes in the heats of the women’s 3-thousand metres.
While Andrew Coscoran, Luke McCann and Paul Robinson compete in concurrent heats of the men’s 15-hundred.
SNOOKER
Despite taking a 2-nil lead, Ken Doherty lost his Gibraltar Open second round match 4-2 to Mark Selby.
Currently at the table, Limerick’s Leo Fernandez trails Chen Zifan by 2-frames to 1.
Mark Allen breezed into round 2 with a 4-nil whitewashing of Jamie Curtis-Barnett.
He’ll play the Ukraine’s Iulian Boiko in the second round, after he beat Dubliner Fergal O’Brien 4-3.
Cork teenager Aaron Hill won 4-1 against Brandon Sargeant and will now play Jamie Clarke in the next round.