We'll Leave It There So: Madigan's future up in the air, defeat for Ireland and today's sport

Plus, another victory for John Joe Nevin and Jack Grealish is back in the bold corner at Aston Villa.

A dejected Denise OÕSullivan Spain celebrate as they score their second goal against Ireland. Cathal Noonan / INPHO Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO

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Ireland’s hopes of qualifying for Euro 2017 suffered another setback this afternoon as they were beaten 3-0 by Spain in Tallaght.
Ian Madigan admits he’s weighing up his options before entering contract talks with Leinster.
Rory Best has signed a two-year contract extension with the IRFU to keep him at Ulster until June 2018.
Waterford’s Kevin Phelan has made an encouraging start to the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa while Paul Dunne posted a steady first round.
Ruan Pienaar will make his 100th appearance for Ulster in Friday’s Pro12 clash against Leinster.
While Rob Kearney will return to the Leinster team as Leo Cullen has made a number of changes from the side which lost in Bath last weekend.
John Joe Nevin continued his fine start to life as a professional boxer with a win in Indiana last night.

Biz Dsk Onside Rugby WC Sponsorship winners-2 Pat Kiely, Group Commercial Director, TV3; Matt Cooper, journalist and Rugby World Cup television presenter and John Trainor, CEO of Onside at a a post Rugby World Cup briefing.

Away

Man United have loaned striker James Wilson out to Championship club Brighton and Hove Albion.
IAAF President Lord Sebastian Coe has stepped down from his role as an ambassador for Nike.
Fifa have revealed the 55 players in the running for the World XI with John Terry and Wayne Rooney both included.
Charlie Hodgson has announced his retirement from rugby.
St Louis Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey is out of surgery and resting after he was shot in the head twice on Tuesday.
Jack Grealish has been dropped by Aston Villa after manager Remi Garde deemed his off-field behaviour as unprofessional.
Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has suffered another injury setback after being ruled out of tonight’s Europa League tie against Bordeaux.

The Best Thing We Shared

Andre-Pierre Gignac was once linked with a big-money move to Arsenal but instead the French striker has found himself plying his trade in Mexico. It’s been something of a fall from grace for the big front-man but he’s still capable of producing moments of brilliance.
https://streamable.com/1la2?t=1.3

Where We Were Today

Ben Blake was in Tallaght for Ireland’s defeat to Spain while Ryan Bailey was at the RDS for Leo Cullen’s press conference ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Ulster.

Rob Kearney and Leo Cullen Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO

On The Record

“We were nothing special at the time, we weren’t bad footballers or anything but we would have been about fifty or sixty-to-one to win the All-Ireland with the bookies at that stage.”

Dublin legend Jimmy Keaveney on Kevin Heffernan and the impact he had on Gaelic games in the capital.

The Fixture List

The Guinness Pro12 returns on Friday night with three games down for decision. Ulster’s visit to the RDS to face Leinster (7.35pm) is the pick of the bunch.
In the Championship, Hull City host Derby County and their contingent of Irish internationals.

Showbiz, Baby!

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Conor McGregor has paid a fitting tribute to his Straight Blast Gym team-mate Cathal Pendred after he announced his MMA retirement yesterday.

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