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McIlroy with jockeys AP McCoy and Ruby Walsh during today's Irish Open Pro-Am. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

• Rory McIlroy is desperate to improve his Irish Open record at The K Club this week.
• Connacht head coach Pat Lam says he is happy in his role with the province despite speculation that he could be on his way to Bath.
• Dublin footballer Ciaran Kilkenny and Conor McGrath of Clare have been named GAA Players of the Month for April.
• Ireland centre James Downey announced his retirement from rugby after a 13-year professional career this afternoon.

Away

Glasgow-bound? Brendan Rodgers. Martin Rickett Martin Rickett

• Celtic have confirmed that they are close to naming a new manager, with former Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers reportedly in the running.
• Chelsea veteran John Terry is staying with the Premier League club after signing a one-year contract extension.
• Manchester City defender Martin Demechelis has been fined by the FA for placing 29 bets on football matches over a four-week period.
• Maria Sharapova was in front of an anti-doping panel in London today, and the tennis star is facing a lengthy ban from the sport after testing positive earlier this year.

The best thing we shared

The Liverpool fans have been enjoying themselves in Basel ahead of this evening’s Europa League final.
https://www.facebook.com/LiverpoolEchoLFC/videos/1203927866286734/

On the record

Basically my Dad was driving a JCB and he hit one of the gates by accident. I was leaning on the gate so when it hit the gate, that sent me up (in the air). I came down and landed on the concrete and broke my kneecap. He was fairly cut up about it anyway. It was just a bit of a freak accident. It was unlucky but I’ll keep going anyway.” – Young Kilkenny hurler James Maher on his hopes to feature this year after a farming accident.

Where we were today

Ryan Bailey and Emma Duffy visited Ireland’s Olympians exhibition at the GAA Museum in Croke Park today. Follow The42.ie on Snapchat to see how they got on.

Olympians John Treacy and Michael Carruth with Pat Hickey (President OCI) yesterday. Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO

The fixture list

• Liverpool take on Sevilla in the Uefa Europa League final at St Jakob’s Park tonight. You can follow all the action here.
• In the League Two play-off semi-final second leg, Accrington Stanley meet AFC Wimbledon (7.45pm).
• Tomorrow, the opening round of the Irish Open tees off at 7.30am.
• Irish flyweight boxer Ceire Smith fights in the opening round of the AIBA World Women’s Championships in Astana.
• And Walsall face Barnsley in the second leg of their League One play-off semi-final on Thursday (7.45pm).

Showbiz, baby!

Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor picked up an eight-match ban for punching Toronto’s Jose Bautista in the face after a mass brawl broke out in Major League Baseball.