Ireland second row Devin Toner attempts a dunk at the Chicago Bulls' training facility. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

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• Martin O’Neill has included Dundalk pair Daryl Horgan and Andy Boyle in his 35-man squad for Ireland’s World Cup qualifier against Austria.
• Former UFC champion Bas Rutten believes Conor McGregor can score an early win against Eddie Alvarez but he has concerns about the Dubliner’s chances if the fight enters the championship rounds.
• Inter-county hurler Lee Chin will miss Wexford Youths’ play-off second leg against Drogheda United on Friday as he is attending the GAA All-Star awards.
• The international future of Scott Hogan remains uncertain despite the recent advances made by Martin O’Neill towards the Brentford striker.
• Ulster back rower Sean Reidy has signed a three-year contract extension that will keep him with the province until 2020.

Away

Milwaukee Bucks guard Matthew Dellavedova saves the ball from going out of bounds during the second half of an NBA game against the New Orleans Pelicans. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

• Joey Barton is set to resume training with Rangers after the club lifted his suspension but he is still expected to leave Ibrox in January.
• Claudio Ranieri, Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique are among the 10 managers nominated for the Best Fifa Men’s Coach award for 2016.
• Liverpool striker Danny Ings is out for the rest of the season after picking up another serious knee injury.
• Out-of-favour attacker Henrikh Mkhitaryan has been included in the Manchester United squad for tomorrow night’s Europa League clash against Fenerbahce.
• New Zealand scrum-half Aaron Smith looks set to return to the All Blacks’ starting 15 on Saturday following his disciplinary issues.
• The Chicago Cubs forced the World Series to a deciding Game 7 tonight after they beat the Cleveland Indians 9-3 at Progessive Field overnight on Tuesday.

The Best Thing We Shared

You’ve probably already seen Mesut Ozil’s worldy for Arsenal last night but this 90th-minute winner from PSG’s Thomas Meunier definitely also deserves your attention.

On The Record

I just really hope the Irish boys do really well because they have done well against southern hemisphere teams in recent years and it’s a big game in Chicago. There will be a huge amount of Irish support for them going there and then they obviously come back and they’ve a game in Dublin and that’s another massive game.

British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland will be keeping a close eye on Ireland’s Test match against New Zealand this weekend.

Where we were today

Paul Fennessy was in Abbotstown this morning as Martin O’Neill named an extended 35-man squad ahead of the World Cup qualifier against Austria.

Martin O'Neill addresses the press. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

Ryan Bailey was talking to Ulster’s Kiwi star Charles Piutau and former Ulster and Ireland bruiser Stephen Ferris in DCU this afternoon as the pair launched the ‘Rugby Weekend’ event in Chicago.

Matt Browne / SPORTSFILE Matt Browne / SPORTSFILE / SPORTSFILE

Sean Farrell, Murray Kinsella and Eoin Lúc Ó Ceallaigh are continuing to fly The42 flag in Chicago ahead of this weekend’s Test match against New Zealand. Today, the Ireland squad took a tour of the Chicago Bulls’ training facility.

Jack McGrath, Andrew Trimble, Craig Gilroy and Jared Payne. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

 The Fixture List

• It’s all about the Europa League tomorrow night with Dundalk facing what is probably their biggest challenge yet — Zenit St Petersburg in Russia from 6pm. Elsewhere, Manchester United are away at Fenerbahce (6pm) and Southampton host manager-less Inter Milan (8.05pm).
• Seamus Power and Graeme McDowell are among the field at the PGA Tour’s Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy mightn’t be playing but there is a strong field at the Turkish Airlines Open on the European Tour, including Pádraig Harrington.

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