1. #CHAMPIONS LEAGUE It’s a massive night for Irish soccer as Shamrock Rovers host FC Copenhagen in Tallaght this evening (ko 7.45pm).

RTE will a game in which the Dublin side attempt to overturn a 1-0 scoreline from the game in Denmark last week.

2. #TOLD YOU SO RTE pundit Joe Brolly insists – in an interview with the Irish Examiner’s John Fogarty – that he takes no pleasure from Cork’s defeat to Mayo in Sunday’s All-Ireland quarter-final.

The Derryman was widely criticised last week when he described the All-Ireland champions as dumb.

3. #RWC Ireland’s World Cup preparations will take a step up this weekend when they face Scotland in Edinburgh.

Yesterday Alan Gaffney and Paul McNaughton met the press at the squad’s base in Carton house. And the team manager said staff were ‘hopeful’ injury worries Stephen Ferris and Gordon Darcy would make the plane to New Zealand.

4. #PAL JOEY Joey Barton yesterday hit out at the Newcastle United board on a day in which he was transfer listed at St James’ Park.

He wrote on Twitter: “Somewhere in those high echelons of NUFC, they have decided, I am persona non grata.

“I am on a free but the honour of wearing those B+W stripes, surpasses that. One day the board might realise, what the shirt signifies. HONOUR and PRIDE. Thanks for your continued support……….. #toonarmy.”

5. #NBA La Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant insists he plans on playing Europe if basketball’s lockout drags on.

But maybe Pep Guardiola or Alex Ferguson might persuade him to switch codes; Kobe showed off his silks at half-time in Washington at the weekend after also playing in a charity game with the Barca manager.