GAELIC GAMES
The GAA have released their provisional 2021 inter-county calendar.
Next year's Allianz National Hurling and Football Leagues will run from the weekend of February 27th and 28th until the start of April.
Inter-county provincial competitions will return in early April according to the new schedule.
The backdoor will return for eliminated counties in the 2021 All-Ireland Football Championship.
Club hurling and football competitions have been provisionally slated to return in the Spring.
All club games will be privy to covid regulations at the time of play.
Club championships are scheduled to start the weekend of July 24th and July 25th 2021.
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RUGBY
Leinster centre Garry Ringrose has been ruled out of this weekend's Pro-14 clash with Munster.
The Irish International has suffered a jaw injury in the weekend's Champions Cup action.
Stuart Lancaster has sympathised with Ringrose's recent injury history
Leinster are assessing three other players ahead of Saturday's match, including Rhys Ruddock, Harry Byrne and Jimmy O'Brien.
Their opponents, Munster, are unbeaten in nine games heading into the matchup on Saint Stephen's Day.
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SOCCER
Two Premier League games take place this evening.
Burnley, who are unbeaten in their last three games, host Wolves at half 5.
It's a London derby then at 8 O'Clock as Chelsea welcome West Ham to Stamford Bridge.
Frank Lampard's side have suffered from back-to-back defeats, but could go fifth if they earn all three points.
Newcastle have revealed duo Jamaal Lascelles and Allan Saint-Maximim are suffering long term effects of Covid-19.
An outbreak in the club caused a closure of Newcastle's training ground last month.
Lascelles and Saint-Maximim haven't trained since they contracted the virus.
Championship side Milwall's next two fixtures have been postponed due to a coronavirus outbreak in the first-team squad.
Their games against Bournemouth and Watford over the Christmas period will now be played at a later date.
The club's training ground has also been closed due to concerns over the spread of the disease.
The Carabao Cup has been put back from February 28th to April 25th in the hope of having fans in attendance.
The English FA has said that they want to give fans the best opportunity to be there in person.
Tomorrow, Arsenal and Manchester City are set to clash in the competitions quarter-final.
The Gunners will be without Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (pron Oh-Bam-a-yang) due to a calf injury.
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DARTS
The P-D-C World Darts Championship resumes this evening.
Second-favourite Gerwyn Price gets his campaign underway against fellow Welshman Jamie Lewis at 8 O'Clock.
Last night, former window cleaner Ryan Searle booked his place in the last-32 with a comprehensive win over Jeffery de Zwaan.
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GOLF
Lee Westwood has been named European Tour Golfer of the Year.
The 47-year-old won the Race to Dubai after finishing runner-up to Matt Fitzpatrick at the D-P World Tour Championship earlier this month.
Westwood, who has represented Europe at 10 Ryder Cups, also claimed victory at the Abu Dhabi Championship in January.
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RACING
Cheltenham Gold Cup runner up Santini has been supplemented for the Ladbrokes King George the Sixth Chase at Kempton on Saturday.
Trainer Nicky Henderson had planned to wait for the Cotswold Chase at the end of January but has confirmed the change of plan this morning.
Paddy Kennedy landed his first Graded-race success when partnering the Jessica Harrington-trained Ashdale Bob to win the Grade 2 BetVictor Novice Hurdle at Navan on Friday. The 14/1 chance raced to a six-length victory over the Jack Kennedy-ridden 6/1 shot Fakiera and the winning rider reported, “He’s a nice horse, he improved a good bit from the last day and I think he’ll improve again on a bit of nicer ground. That was a bit on the dead side for him. He’ll jump a fence too and I’d say chasing is his real game. A step up to three miles would be no bother to him. Everything from two-and-a-half to three he’d be fine.”
Jack Kennedy took the 2m maiden hurdle at Navan on Friday on the Gordon Elliott-trained Percy Warner. The 15/8 chance got on top late on to beat Noel Meade’s 5/4 favourite Flanking Maneuver by three-parts of a length.
Gavin Brouder and trainer Oliver McKiernan were winners at Down Royal on Thursday where Kristian Goingwell scored a ready success in the 2m4f handicap chase. The strong 100/30 favourite was eased down close to the line as he beat the Tom Gibney-trained Peterstown by a length and half in the colours of the Keep The Faith Syndicate. It was a sixth winner of the season for the Listowel conditional rider.
Jack Kennedy heads into the busy Christmas schedule on the back of a double at Thurles on Sunday. He got the meeting off to a flyer as the McNeill Family-owned Escaria Ten romped to a 20-length success in the 3m1f beginners’ chase for trainer Gordon Elliott. The 6/5 favourite eased clear on the long run to the final fence to beat Ministerforsport in great style. Elliott also supplied Kennedy with his second success as 2/1 favourite Frontal Assault took the rated novice hurdle by four and three-parts of a length from the Peter Fahey-trained Born Patriot.
