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• Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’Neill has finally signed a new two-year contract extension, as has his backroom staff, after months of speculation
• Barnsley captain Conor Hourihane has got his first senior call-up for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Moldova.
• Meanwhile, O’Neill has made contact with in-form Brentford striker Scott Hogan about the possibility of declaring for Ireland.

Jeff Holmes Jeff Holmes

• 22-year-old Falkirk goalkeeper Danny Rogers was a surprise inclusion in the 33-man squad and he admitted he wasn’t expecting it at all.
• The potential League of Ireland decider between Dundalk and Cork City has been confirmed for 11 October and will kick off at 7.05pm.
• Munster have made five changes for their clash with Edinburgh at Thomand Park tomorrow, with Ian Keatley included at full-back.

James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

• Ultan Dillane is one of six Connacht changes as Pat Lam’s side chase their first win away to the Scarlets.
• Cork dual star Hannah Looney is a surprise omission for Sunday’s All-Ireland ladies senior final with Dublin but the Rebels say it’s nothing to do with the controversial incident involving the 19-year-old before the hurling decider with Kilkenny.
• All-Ireland champions Waterford have a dozen players nominated for the U21 Team of the Year.

Away

• Burnley striker Andre Gray has been banned for four games after his homophobic tweets in 2012.

Empics Sports Photography Ltd. Empics Sports Photography Ltd.

• Marcus Rashford has admitted a lack of game time under Jose Mourinho at Manchester United has been frustrating.
• Saracens will not appeal the 13-week ban dished out to wing Chris Ashton for biting Northampton’s Alex Waller during a Premiership match last weekend.

The Best Thing We Shared

If the Premier League clubs were a drinks order…

Where We Were Today

Our Ben Blake was at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium to get the thoughts of Martin O’Neill as he unveiled his squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

On The Record

Michael Ryan, Micheal Donoghue, Derek McGrath, Rory Gallagher, Eamonn Fitzmaurice – Brian Cody aside, there’s a certain ‘type’ now. Top managers are calm, rational; masters of strategy and logistics, proficient with laptop and spreadsheet as much as whistle and training cone. Soon, a Harvard MBA will be as useful a qualification for county manager as an All-Ireland medal.This may be because county panels are now ‘player-led’. You can lead the horses to water, but you can’t make them drink. Or at least not without a prior horse meeting where you get ‘buy-in’ from every horse to the water-drinking in question. Otherwise you can have a full on horse strike on your hands, or have half of them gallop off to America on you.”

Our columnist, TV3′s Tommy Martin, feels Irish sport is a duller place without Davy Fitzgerald in it.

The Fixture List

Football (All Premier League kick-offs 3pm unless otherwise stated)

Manchester United v Leicester (12.30pm)
Bournemouth v Everton
Liverpool v Hull
Middlesbrough v Tottenham
Stoke v West Brom
Sunderland v Crystal Palace
Swansea v Man City
Arsenal v Chelsea (5.30pm)

Sligo Rovers v Cork City (7.45pm)

Rugby

Munster v Edinburgh (3pm)
Scarlets v Connacht (7.35pm)

Showbiz, Baby!

24 years ago, a fresh-faced Londoner came on as a substitute for Andrei Kanchelskis during Manchester United’s League Cup game against Brighton.

Whatever happened to him?

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Conor Hourihane gets first senior Ireland call – but no place for Dundalk’s Horgan