Racing

McLaren "surprised" by China F1 race pace after sprint struggles

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella says McLaren's Chinese Grand Prix pace was particularly surprising after a more muted Formula 1 sprint performance.

The Dude delivers at Enniscorthy greyhound stadium

Some nice runs were recorded at Enniscorthy greyhound stadium on Thursday, with three winners breaking the 29-second barrier. There was a double for the Piercestown prefix during the week, having had a first winner on the Monday night programme. Race seven on Thursday saw Piercestown Dude record his third straight win. He tracked the early leader, ...

‘It’s not over yet’ – Willie Mullins has one hand on the British jump trainers’ title

Willie Mullins insists he will be taking nothing for granted in the British jump trainers' title race, despite building up a sizeable lead via an Ayr four-timer on Saturday, which included a crucial Coral Scottish Grand National triumph. The Closutton powerhouse began the day £4,982 behind Dan Skelton but powered clear at the top of the table after...

Munster's battle with the Bulls part of intense URC run-in

All four provinces have work to do with five regular season games left.

Mauricio Pochettino was ‘like a father’ to me, says Mikel Arteta as managers go head-tohead

Mikel Arteta said Mauricio Pochettino was “like a father” to him in his early playing days ahead of their meeting in Arsenal’s clash against Chelsea in the Premier League. Arteta played alongside the Chelsea boss at Paris Saint-Germain before their rise as coaches in Europe’s top divisions. The Arsenal manager talked up the influence Pochettino had...

'Frisch will be gone. There's a game being played here around negotiating a transfer fee'

Bernard Jackman believes Munster are in danger of slipping backwards next season if they can’t recruit further depth to their squad.

Scottie Scheffler five clear as RBC Heritage goes into Monday finish

Scottie Scheffler saved a miraculous par in fading light to take a five-stroke into his last three holes of the weather-delayed RBC Heritage at Hilton Head. The Masters champion, bidding for his fourth win in five starts, found water hit his approach left into water at the par-five 15th after heavy rain led to a two hour and 32-minute suspension at...

England defeat will not affect our confidence, insists Dorothy Wall

Dorothy Wall said the words “this loss feels a bit different to others” around an hour after the end of one of the most damaging days Irish rugby has endured in London. There was a multitude of ways that the Ireland forward could have continued her sentence as she stood in the mixed zone of Twickenham on Saturday evening. This loss has its own magn...

RG Snyman starts as Munster ring changes for Bulls clash

The South African is one of six personnel changes and one positional switch to the side that lost to Northampton.

Stroll explains why F1 China penalty for Ricciardo contact felt like "a joke"

Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll has explained why he thought his penalty for tagging Daniel Ricciardo behind the safety car in Formula 1's Chinese Grand Prix was "a joke".

Slow start proves costly as Leinster suffer heavy defeat to Lions

The hosts ran in six total tries to Leinster’s two in Johannesburg.

ERC star Sesks secures WRC Rally1 graduation with M-Sport

European Rally Championship event winner Martins Sesks will make a World Rally Championship Rally1 debut with M-Sport Ford as part of a two-round deal supported by WRC Promoter.

F1 Chinese GP sprint race and qualifying - Start time, how to watch & more

Formula 1’s sprint race format changes get its first outing of 2024 at the Chinese Grand Prix. Here’s how and when to watch the sprint race and grand prix qualifying.

The Irishman who's one of the oldest players ever in English football

Tranmere Rovers’ Joe Murphy is still going strong, almost a quarter of a century on from his league debut.

David Clifford on game innovation, evolving goalkeepers, and how football helped him cope with his mother’s passing

In Killarney, they are as discerning as the audience at Carnegie Hall about doling out adulation. Kerry beat Cork there last Saturday yet when the players glanced down at the final whistle, found no garlands at their feet. One period grated with just about everyone who threw an eye over the game. Four minutes and 42 seconds. That was the length of ...

Antonelli completes maiden Mercedes F1 test

Andrea Kimi Antonelli has begun his Formula 1 testing programme after completing laps in the Mercedes W12.

F1 teams and Pirelli had no warning of “painted” Shanghai track surface

Neither teams nor tyre supplier Pirelli were informed about the “painted” surface treatment at the Shanghai circuit before arriving in China for this weekend’s Formula 1 race, it has emerged.

Fitzgerald hails Waterford's 'fighting spirit' after much-needed Munster win

The Déise boss says they dedicated the victory to Shane Bennett who was ruled out of selection with a freak injury.

Jude Bellingham the hero after netting stoppage-time El Clasico winner for Real Madrid

Real Madrid took a giant leap towards the LaLiga title after Jude Bellingham’s stoppage-time goal secured a 3-2 win against arch-rivals Barcelona. Bellingham fired home at the far post in the first minute of added time after Vinicius Junior’s first-half penalty and Lucas Vazquez had cancelled out goals from Barca pair Andreas Christensen and Fermin...

Hamilton blames wind for Q1 error as Mercedes "experiment"

Lewis Hamilton blamed a tailwind for the Turn 14 moment that pitched him out of Q1 for Formula 1’s Chinese Grand Prix in his “knife-edge” Mercedes.

Meath get off to perfect start by defeating Laois in Leinster LGFA SFC clash

Meath safely negotiated the opening hurdle in their quest to dethrone Dublin as TG4 Leinster champions at a sun-splashed Páirc Tailteann on Sunday. Visitors Laois were coming off the back of a dreadful NFL Division 2 campaign during which they lost six and drew one of their seven matches. They started in promising fashion and looked particularly li...

What is the cooldown room in F1? All you need to know about the procedure

The top three finishers in a Formula 1 race visit a cooldown room once the grand prix has finished before walking out onto the podium, and some viewers say it is one of their favourite moments across the weekend.

Irish midfielder misses crucial penalty as Celtic reach Scottish Cup final

There was despair for Aberdeen as Killian Phillips’ spot kick was saved by Joe Hart.

Newey: F1’s grid to close up even more before being ‘blown apart’ in 2026

Red Bull’s Adrian Newey predicts the fight at the front of Formula 1 is going to get even tighter, before the 2026 rules reset blows things apart once again.

All-girl football team of 11 and 12-year-olds destroy male opponents

Queens Park Ladies U12s finished with 18 wins, four draws and no losses in the league of 11 boys' teams and theirs.

4 talking points after Limerick's dramatic comeback floors Clare

It finished 3-15 to 1-18 in favour of the All-Ireland champions.

Louth to play in a Leinster SFC semi-final for 51st time but such clashes with Kildare are rare

Sunday will mark the 51st time that a Louth team has contested a Leinster SFC semi-final but just the seventh in which the Reds have opposed Kildare in the last four. The Wee county’s record of 20 wins and 30 losses at the penultimate stage is decent but the balance was a lot more equal prior to the period from 1964 to 1998, during which Louth were...

Leo Cullen knows loss of focus could cost Leinster as big games loom large

There was nothing wonderful about Leinster’s rare slip-up at the weekend for Leo Cullen. At one stage during yesterday’s press briefing from Johannesburg where Leinster are based until their move to Cape Town, the coach was asked if any of the players had come out of Saturday’s 44-12 defeat to the Lions with credit. He was happy that Charlie Ngatai...

‘I haven’t seen a performance like that in a long time’ – Brian Dooher on prospect of facing ‘phenomenal’ Donegal

It took 100 minutes of championship football to find a winner as what started out as a sleepy sort of encounter somehow turned into an all-or-nothing wrestle to the finish. Eventually, Tyrone fell over the line, managing three points in extra-time to Cavan’s two. It was just about right on the balance of things, even if Cavan left Kingspan Breffni ...

Nelly Korda clinches Chevron Championship for fifth win in a row and second major

Nelly Korda claimed her fifth consecutive victory and second major title with a two-shot win in the Chevron Championship in Texas. The 25-year-old Floridian went into the final round tied for second with Canada’s Brooke Henderson on 10-under-par, just one shot behind Korea’s Haeran Ryu at The Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands. But as Ryu bogey...

The Left Wing: Ireland have to pick themselves up for their biggest game of the year

England dished out a 88-10 hammering to Ireland in the Women's Six Nations at Twickenham last weekend. The world number one-ranked team completely overwhelmed Ireland as they ran in 14 tries. Scott Bemand's side will play Scotland in Belfast in next Saturday's final round with an automatic place in next year’s World Cup up for grabs for the team th...

Arsenal v Chelsea: Mikel Arteta pre-match press conference

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta speaks ahead of his team's Premier League match against London rivals Chelsea. The Gunners currently top the league on goal difference, and hope another win will add pressure on their rivals to get a result.

Nottingham Forest claim VAR is a Luton fan after defeat at Everton

Nottingham Forest have accused VAR Stuart Attwell of being a Luton fan after feeling they were on the wrong end of "three extremely poor decisions" during Sunday's 2-0 Premier League defeat at Everton. Forest posted on X, formerly Twitter, soon after full-time that they were considering their options, having "warned the PGMOL that the VAR is a Luton fan before the game but they didn't change him", adding that their patience had now been "tested multiple times" this season.

Will Man City rue letting go a strong contender for Player of the Season?

Cole Palmer has been in superb form for Chelsea.

Man United's Antony blasted 'embarrassing' after mocking Coventry players

Manchester United's Brazilian winger Antony has been slammed as 'embarrassing' online after cupping his ear at the Coventry City players after the Premier League side won its FA Cup semi-final tie on penalties at Wembley. The Red Devils and Sky Blues did battle on April 21 with a spot in the FA Cup final against Manchester City up for grabs. After ...

Davy Fitzgerald: 'If people around Waterford want to make up rumours, that’s fine'

The Waterford boss is getting his side set for Sunday’s Munster opener against Cork.

Pochettino confirms Cole Palmer is a doubt to face Arsenal with Gusto battling niggle

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino speaks ahead of his side's Premier League clash with Arsenal.

Eye-watering sum Scottie Scheffler’s caddie earns after US star’s Masters win

David Moyes heading towards the exit as West Ham ponder an alternative future

The official party line — from David Moyes and from West Ham’s hierarchy — has not changed: a decision over the manager’s future will not be taken until the campaign is done and the summer recess in swing. The sense, though, is that the scales are tilting decisively in one direction, towards a natural conclusion and a parting of the ways. Three day...

2024 F1 Chinese GP results: Max Verstappen wins for Red Bull

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the first Chinese Grand Prix in five years, the fifth round of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship, in Shanghai.

‘We want to produce players for Ireland’ – Leo Cullen blocks out criticism of Leinster’s advantages

Leo Cullen has opted not to engage in the debate around Leinster’s funding and the IRFU’s central contracting model in the wake of his side’s audacious capture of Jordie Barrett. On the same day they announced they were signing the 57-cap All Black, the province saw Dan Sheehan added to the list of IRFU centrally-contracted players at their disposa...

Conor McGregor tells ‘brother’ Justin Bieber he has his ‘back for life’

Conor McGregor has issued a shout out to his “brother” Justin Bieber, who he says will be supporting him when he makes his UFC comeback in Las Vegas. The Crumlin fighter spoke of his friendship with the Canadian superstar, just days after his UFC bout against Michael Chandler was announced. The pair will square up in Vegas on June 29. McGregor shar...

Neuville: WRC Croatia not a “disaster” after final day error

Thierry Neuville has expressed his frustration after a crash ended his Croatia Rally victory bid, but the World Rally Championship driver says the event wasn’t a “disaster” for his title hopes.

'I don't know what's going on over there' - Matt Doherty puzzled by FAI's manager search

The 43-cap defender said that ‘it will be pretty good’ if John O’Shea continues in the role after his interm stint in March.

Micheál Donoghue spells out Dublin’s massive turnover of players since reign started

​Micheál Donoghue had a point to make on Sunday. The Dublin manager had been asked about his young squad and the nutritional benefits of annexing a draw in Wexford Park from an improbable situation in their Leinster SHC round-robin clash. “I think what’s been totally missed with this group is, there’s been nearly a 60 per cent turnover in the squad...

Ireland to play first Test match on home soil in six years as Belfast encounter with Zimbabwe confirmed for July

Ireland will play their first Test match on home soil for more than six years this summer after the confirmation that a five-day match against Zimbabwe will go ahead in Belfast on July 25-29. As reported in the Irish Independent last week, the board of Cricket Ireland reversed controversial plans to balance the books by axing the showpiece after a ...

Fans call foul on Euros sticker book debacle

After 47 years of Panini holding the rights to distribute the official Euros sticker book, this year the contract has gone to Topps - but it doesn't have permission to include all the players.

Savvy golf picks lands Kerry punters a nice windfall in Masters golf challenge

It was a Masters tournament to remember for many reasons with World Number 1 Scottie Scheffler claiming his second green jacket in three years with a dominant performance in tough conditions. Playing such great golf, it was no surprise then that almost all of those that finished in the Top 10 of the recent ‘2024 US Masters Tipster Competition’, org...

Data shows Leandro Trossard is one of the most lethal finishers in the Premier League

Leandro Trossard has scored all manner of goals in his 15 months as an Arsenal player, from back-post tap-ins to precise curlers, but he has never scored one quite like his opener against Wolves on Saturday night. Was it a scuff? A slice? A total mishit? Whatever you want to call it, there can be no way that Trossard intended to strike the ball as ...

Much for Galway and Mayo to chew over, Donnelly's heroic return, Ulster schedule mess

While the familiar names are back in the final, Connacht experiences its’ own levelling up, while the standout performance belonged to a gnarly veteran.