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Tommy Bowe made his long-awaited return from injury as he featured for the Ulster Ravens against Munster A.

The Willie Mullins-trained Annie Power claimed a stunning double after adding the Doom Bar Aintree Hurdle to the Champion Hurdle won at Cheltenham.

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The Irish Women’s team put five past Montenegro in their Euro 2017 qualifier in Petrovac as they got their campaign back on track.

Despite racking up a win and a draw from their recent friendlies against Switzerland and Slovakia, the Republic of Ireland have fallen two places in the Fifa rankings.

A bizarre injury could rob Glenn Whelan of his 100% Premier League record – the Irish midfielder is a doubt for Stoke’s weekend clash with Liverpool.

Paddy Holohan has been added to the card for UFC Fight Night 87 which takes place in Amsterdam on 8th May.

James Gallagher, one of Ireland’s most hotly-tipped MMA prospects, has signed a contract with US-based organisation Bellator and will make his debut later this year.

Away

Jordan Spieth is the man to catch early doors at the Augusta Masters after a string of early birdies.

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Arsene Wenger has revealed that he has known about Dimitri Payet for a long time but it was the Frenchman’s lack of consistency that ensured Arsenal didn’t sign him.

John Terry has selected seven Leicester City players in his PFA Team of the Year.

Miesha Tate will defend her women’s bantamweight title for the first time at a rapidly-expanding UFC 200 in Las Vegas.

The Best Thing We Shared

You’re Ernie Els. You’re a big name. It’s the Masters. It’s the first hole of the first round. It’s time to make a statement of intent.

Instead, you seven-putt and make a 10 on a par-four.

Warning: some people may find the following video offensive.

On The Record

I think the reason Kieran Kingston has culled these guys is he’s taking the long-term view. There’s no assurances but if he’s going to be there for the next few years, you want to bring on your own group. But how long have we been hearing that in Cork about development? When you take leaders out of the dressing-room, two things can happen. The first thing you’d be hoping for is the guys that wouldn’t be seen as leaders would stand up and start to become leaders. Younger fellas could start to perform and get more confidence then. The negative scenario to that is that fellas just start hiding away, minding their own corners and no one will become a leader there.”

In his exclusive column for The42, John Gardiner gives his take on a number of Cork’s experienced names being dropped from the panel earlier this week.

Where We Were Today

Sean Farrell was at the unveiling of Sport Ireland’s anti-doping review for 2015 – a year when the organisation announced three positive tests.

Gary Carr / INPHO Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO

The Fixture List

The second round of the US Masters dominates the sports schedule on Friday while Day Two at Aintree sees the ladies take centre stage.

There are also four Airtricity League Premier Division fixtures down for decision. All of them get underway at 7.45.

• Cork City v Wexford Youths
• Derry City v Shamrock Rovers
• Galway United v Finn Harps
• St. Patrick’s Athletic v Sligo Rovers 

Showbiz, Baby!

Happy Gilmore made a return in Barbados.

And by Happy Gilmore we mean Ian Madigan.

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Defending champion Jordan Spieth seizes early lead as the 2016 Masters gets underway

John Gardiner: Cork lose experience, Rebel manager’s long-term view and sympathy for players