SOCCER
Mick McCarthy has been confirmed as the new manager of Cypriot club APOEL.
The former Republic of Ireland boss has agreed a deal up until the summer of 2022.
McCarthy will be assisted again by Terry Connor and makes his return to management after a second spell as Ireland boss ended in April.
APOEL are in tenth in the league out of 14 teams.
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Scottish Premiership leaders Rangers have suspended two players for breaching Covid regulations.
Jordan Jones and defender George Edmundson attended a private gathering on Sunday "with others outside their household".
The pair will now be investigated by the club and must isolate for 14 days.
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Joel Matip and Naby Keita have both returned to full training with Liverpool.
Manager Jurgen Klopp is yet to decide if both will be available to face Atalanta in the Champions League tomorow night.
Matip was injured in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park last month while Keita's been absent since before the last international break.
Klopp also revealed that Thiago is yet to return to training following his injury in the Everton game.
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In the Premier League this evening; Leicester can move up to second place if they win away to Leeds United.
Kick off at Elland Road is 8.00.
Before that at 5:30; Fulham and West Brom are both seeking a first win in the league this season.
Baggies boss Slaven Bilic says his side are full of confidence after coming from behind to get a point at Brighton in their last game
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RUGBY
Ulster and Leinster are both in action tonight in the Guinness PRO14.
Ulster are away to the Cardiff Blues where they'll be aiming to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.
Kick-off in Wales is 6.
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Rhys Ruddock will captain Leinster again as they look to continue their 100% start to the season against the Glasgow Warriors.
That game in Glasgow gets underway at 8.15.
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GAA
Cork and Dublin will meet next weekend in the first round of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship qualifiers.
The other first round game will see Clare take on Laois.
All Ireland champions Tipperary have received a bye into the second round along with Wexford.
Those first round games will take place at neutral venues next weekend - the details will be confirmed later.
RACING
Gordon Elliott took Down Royal by storm on Saturday, saddling a remarkable five of the seven winners with Jack Kennedy central to the success.
Elliott won the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Champion Chase with the Keith Donoghue-ridden The Storyteller but shared a couple of earlier winners with the Dingle jockey. The pair won the three-year-old hurdle with 1/16 favourite Quilixios which recorded a 20-length victory and Ballyadam, the 4/6 favourite, which won the 2m maiden hurdle by an easy 12 lengths from the Lorna Fowler-trained Colonel Mustard.
The Elliott-trained Envoi Allen and Kennedy were the standout stars at Down Royal on Friday with their facile success in the 2m3f beginners’ chase. On his first start over fences, the six-year-old didn’t put a foot wrong and coasted to a six-length win over the Henry De Bromhead-trained January Jets at odds of 1/14 favourite and now heads for the Grade 1 Drinmore Chase at Fairyhouse. It was just as easy for Kennedy’s first winner of the weekend, Farouk D’Alene which won the opening maiden hurdle. The 2/9 favourite beat the Noel Meade-trained Pat’s Pick by eight lengths. There was an eight-length success for Chemical Energy, the 10/11 favourite, in the bumper to complete a treble for Elliott. Like Kennedy before him, Jamie Codd had little to do on the runaway winner.
The smart Latest Exhibition made a winning debut over fences for Bryan Cooper and County Wexford trainer Paul Nolan when taking the beginners’ chase at Punchestown on Wednesday. The Toberona Partnership-owned seven-year-old overcame an early mistake to score a snug two-length win at odds of 6/5 favourite from the Noel Meade-trained School Boy Hours. The Grade 2 Florida Pearl Novice Chase at Punchestown later this month is next. Paddy Kennedy enjoyed the easiest of winners when taking the opening maiden hurdle on the Jessica Harrington-trained Crosshill. The 4/1 chance scored a hugely impressive 11-length win from the Gavin Cromwell-trained Vanillier.
Brothers Michael and Paddy Kennedy combined to win the mares’ maiden hurdle with Majestic Maid at Cork on Sunday. A winner at the Galway festival, the five-year-old easily justified her odds of 10/11 favourite as she beat the Liz Doyle-trained Ciao Bella by six lengths for the Innishannon, County Cork-based trainer.
