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• After it initially seemed as if Jack Grealish was set to declare for Ireland, the Aston Villa youngster created further doubt with a somewhat ambiguous tweet this morning.
• Brian Cody has escaped punishment after calling a decision by referee Barry Kelly “criminal”.
• Munster’s Damien Varley is set for an extended spell out of action, after picking up a foot injury.
• Rory Gallagher is among three candidates who have been confirmed for the vacant Donegal job.
• Graeme McDowell has been knocked out of the World Match Play Championship.
• It’s the first weekend of the Champions Cup, with Leinster, Munster and Ulster all naming their teams, while Connacht have also announced their starting side for the Challenge Cup.

Away

Claude Paris Claude Paris

(Toulon rugby club president Mourad Boudjellal is reportedly seeking to take the IRB to court)

• David Moyes has spoken candidly about his shock at losing his job as Manchester United manager.
• Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has brushed off recent comments from Roy Keane calling his behaviour “disgraceful”.
• It’s understood that Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal is seeking to take the IRB to court amid an ongoing row over player payments.
• World Cup-winning Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque has confirmed he will step down from the job after Euro 2016.

On the record

“Our obligation is to the viewers. We’ve no obligation to Martin O’Neill or the FAI. So we have to say it, as we see it. If we tried to be popular and said ‘great performance,’ we probably would have gotten more stick for being dishonest, and rightly so.

“If you’re going to give an honest opinion, you won’t always be popular. But it’s an honest opinion, and that’s all you can give. My honest opinion is that we didn’t play our best players in their best positions, and it’s a bit of a myth to suggest that we did that for 60 minutes, and when we went a goal down, we planned to change it.”

John Giles defends the RTÉ panel after recent criticism aimed at them.

The best thing we shared

How well do you remember the glory days encompassing too many hours spent playing FIFA? Take our quiz and find out.

Fixture list

• It’s the opening weekend of the Champions Cup, with Leinster, Munster and Ulster all in action.
• The Premier League recommences on Saturday, with Man City v Spurs the pick of the games.
• It’s another big weekend of GAA club action, with games involving teams in Dublin, Kilkenny and Tipperary all taking place tomorrow.

Showbiz, baby

A player has been banned for six months for attempting to con the referee by pulling his own jersey.

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