Jamie Clarke (pictured here with the McKenna Cup) is unlikely to be available for Armagh in 2016. William Cherry William Cherry

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• Cricket Ireland officials are holding discussions with the Department of Foreign Affairs, as well as other authorities, before deciding whether to accept an invitation to participate at the Under 19 World Cup.
  
• Ireland’s 2013 world champion Martyn Irvine has announced his retirement from competitive cycling after failing to qualify for the Olympics in Rio De Janeiro.
• Leinster and Ireland prop Cian Healy has undergone a minor knee operation in order to ensure he will be fit for the forthcoming Six Nations.
• Jamie Clarke is unlikely to play for Armagh in the 2016 season as he is set to go travelling after Crossmaglen’s All-Ireland club football campaign ends.
• Ireland U21 international Kenny McEvoy has joined York City on a permanent basis after leaving Tottenham.
• Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony has been singing the praises of Irish midfielder Chris Forrester.
• Royal County Down has been named the world’s best golf course in the annual rankings compiled by Golf Digest magazine.

Pep Guardiola says he hasn't had any offers from the Premier League. Michael Sohn Michael Sohn

Away

• World Rugby has confirmed that some fairly radical law trials will take place in New Zealand’s Mitre 10 Cup – one level below Super Rugby – in 2016.
• Ex-All Blacks coach John Mitchell has been appointed to take charge of the USA rugby side for a four-year spell that will take him up to the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
• Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola admitted he wants to manage in the English Premier League in his first press conference since announcing he will leave the Bundesliga giants at the end of the season.
• Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce has blasted the Premier League fixture makers for scheduling a midweek round of games after this weekend’s FA Cup third round action.
• Former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo has been named in the latest Forbes 30 Under 30 list for sport.
• Paul DePodesta, the stats guru credited with the rise of ‘Moneyball’ in baseball, is taking his talents to the NFL.

The best thing we shared

It doesn’t matter if you’re involved in the Premier League title race… there’s always time for a game of Red Ass.

On the record…

What am I going to do, scream and shout? What can I do? Dana and Lorenzo, they know what I want. People are like, ‘you need to call them’. They fucking know what I want. What, am I going to bother them? For what? For them to say no? So they can promise me something one day and say no the next? Come on.”

Frankie Edgar is not happy about the likelihood of having to wait for his shot at UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor.

The fixture list

• Everton host Manchester City in the first leg of the second Capital One Cup semi-final tomorrow night (8.00pm).
• There are eight O’Byrne Cup games tomorrow evening, including the visit of All-Ireland champions Dublin to Carlow IT (7.30pm), as well as a couple of McKenna Cup fixtures (Antrim vs. Queen’s University Belfast and Fermanagh vs. St Mary’s University — both 8.00pm).

Showbiz, baby!

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