The 2016 Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cup draws were made today. Cathal Noonan / INPHO Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO

Home

• Ireland will welcome Canada to Dublin for the opening game of next year’s November Test series.
• Martin and Michael O’Neill have been named as the joint winners of the 2016 Philips Sports Manager of the Year award.
• Benny Coulter has confirmed he is coming out of retirement to play for Down in 2016.
• The Limerick senior hurlers have announced their captain for next year with goalkeeper Nickie Quaid handed the armband.
• Connacht have handed three academy graduates senior contracts.
• The draws for the 2016 Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cups were made today at Croke Park.
• The dates and times of the rescheduled Champions Cup games involving Ulster and Munster have been confirmed.
• St Pat’s have signed the Dennehy brothers from Cork City as they continue their off-season recruitment drive.

Martin O'Neill and Michael O'Neill with Des Cahill in Dublin. Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO

Away

• World heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury has been stripped of one his world titles less than two weeks after winning it.
  
• Hooker Dimitri Szarzewski has retired from international rugby at the age of 32.
• Garry Monk has been sacked by Swansea City after the club have endured a difficult first-half to the season.
• Taulupe Faletau has completed his move to Bath but the Newport Gwent Dragons aren’t happy.
• Greg Rutherford admitted he pulled out of the BBC’s SPOTY because of Tyson Fury but has since changed his mind.

The Best Thing We Shared

As the big fight approaches, the UFC Embedded episodes are coming thick and fast and in the latest one, Conor McGregor claims he has spies in Jose Aldo’s camp…

Where We Were Today

Sean Farrell was down at the Gibson Hotel to check in with Craig Gilroy and Tommy Bowe ahead of Ulster’s crucial Champions Cup game against Toulouse on Friday.

Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

On The Record

“It’s embarrassing. I was in a squad that went in the Europa League — it’s an embarrassment. You don’t want to come out of your house. You don’t want to walk around Manchester, people looking at you and thinking you’re not good enough, questioning you as an individual.”

Rio Ferdinand and Paul Scholes didn’t hold back in their honest assessment of Man United after their Champions League exit last night.

The Fixture List

• The Europa League group stages conclude on Thursday with Liverpool away to FC Sion (6pm), Celtic in Turkey to face Fenerbahce (6pm) and Tottenham welcoming Monaco to the Lane (8.05pm).
• In the European Challenge Cup, there are two fixtures with Worcester hosting Gloucester and Agen taking on Grenoble (both 7.45pm).

Showbiz, Baby!

GAA shirts are rarely for the fashionista out there but Waterford have unveiled this spanking new effort for 2016 and we very much approve.

Stephen Long / Twitter Stephen Long / Twitter / Twitter

A Letter from Las Vegas: The UFC’s promotional propaganda may finally be accurate

Break out the Santa hat, get in the Christmas spirit and get active this week