The perfect background to the 2014 European Athletics Championship at the Letzigrund Stadium, Zurich. Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO

                                                                Home

• There was incredible success for Ireland at the European Championships in Switzerland as Letterkenny’s Mark English claimed a bronze medal in the men’s 800m final. 
• Elsewhere, reigning world champion Rob Heffernan withdrew from the 50km walk with 10k to go, admitting afterwards that he had struggled to get in the right frame of mind. 

Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO

• Other Irish athletes excelled in Zurich though with Ciarán Ó Lionáird seventh in his 1500m heat while 23 year-old Paul Robinson put in a superb late effort to claim fourth place in his qualifier. Both will now take their places in Sunday’s final.   
• Ronan O’Gara spoke to us about the subtle differences between Cork and Paris. 

Ronan O'Gara is preparing for the start of the new French season. ©INPHO / Harold Cunningham ©INPHO / Harold Cunningham / Harold Cunningham

• Former Cork footballer Ciaran Sheehan was handed a second successive start by AFL side Carlton and impressed once more. 
• Shane Long has admitted it was a tough decision to swap Hull for Southampton but feels The Saints are destined for big things in the Premier League. 
• Heading into their do-or-die All-Ireland SHC semi-final against Tipperary on Sunday, Jimmy Barry-Murphy says that Cork have no excuses after a 5-week break. 

Semi-final Stand: JBM knows the time for talking is over. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

                                                                 Away

• Louis van Gaal revealed that Manchester United will be without seven first-choice players for their Premier League opener against Swansea at lunchtime tomorrow. 
• Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad, that French athlete who whipped his shirt off before the end of his 3,000m steeplechase at the European Championship yesterday and was subsequently disqualified, says it wasn’t an act of arrogance. He said he just wanted to be like a footballer. Not much of an excuse, is it? 

Pretty in pink: Suarez is back and wants to move on! Joan Valls / Urbanandsport/CORDON/Press Association Images Joan Valls / Urbanandsport/CORDON/Press Association Images / Urbanandsport/CORDON/Press Association Images

• Luis Suarez is back! And better than ever. He trained with his Barcelona teammates for the first time since the CAS said he could. And instead of quietly going about his business, he spoke instead of ‘paying for a mistake’ and asking that his assault on Giorgio Chiellini be forgotten. 
• Tiger’s bad back has cost him a place at the Ryder Cup. And probably about $8million in appearances fees. Quick, fetch the painkillers!  

Tiger: feeling the pain in his back and his wallet. Jeff Roberson / AP/Press Association Images Jeff Roberson / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images

• Antonio Conte is Italy’s new manager. He’s signed a two-year deal and takes over from Cesare Prandelli.   
• It’s Australia v New Zealand tomorrow morning and the Aussies are itching to end 11 years of hurt and despair. 
• Paul Scholes has been saying stuff again. This time he’s had a cut off his former club’s recruitment policies and said last season was a ‘big blip’. Thank God so many have paid him so much for incisive opinions like that. 

                                         The best thing we shared

Brad Thorn is 39 years old and still going strong. The former All-Black tees up Saturday’s showdown between Australia and New Zealand perfectly. How about that voice?

                                                      On the Record

“I felt very bad, I was heartbroken, my cardiac rhythm was altered and my relatives took me to the emergency room at the hospital. I was surrounded by my grandchildren who were crying a lot.”

Colombian lawyer Aurelio Jimenez is suing FIFA for €1billion, claiming refereeing decisions at the World Cup caused his cardiac problems.

                                                        The fixture list

• The Premier League is back with Manchester United’s clash with Swansea kicking off the new season.  Arsenal are in action against Crystal Palace at 5.30.
• It’s Day Five of the European Athletics Championships. Ireland are represented by 3 athletes in the marathon while Christine McMahon goes in the final of the women’s 400m hurdles.
• It’s Limerick v Waterford and Kilkenny v Kildare in the Camogie Intermediate championship double-header. Throw-in for the first game is 1.45.

                                                       Showbiz, baby!

Rob Kearney always attracts a crowd.

Donall Farmer / INPHO Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO

“What’s the plural of yo-yo?”