GOLF
Shane Lowry says an absence of fans won't take away from the Magic of the Masters.
The Open Champion plays alongside Tiger Woods and Andy Ogletree for the first two rounds.
Offaly native Lowry says there's only one Augusta.
Rory McIlroy, who is bidding for a first green jacket, will be in a group with world number one Dustin Johnson and Patrick Cantlay.
Cork amateur James Sugrue will play with past champion Jose Maria Olazabal and Andrew Putnam.
And Graeme McDowell will spend Thursday and Friday with Si Woo Kim and Nate Lashley.
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Cork amateur James Sugrue will play with past champion Jose Maria Olazabal and Andrew Putnam.
And Graeme McDowell will spend Thursday and Friday with Si Woo Kim and Nate Lashley.
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RUGBY
Garry Ringrose believes the Irish players would love to have a crowd behind them for this Friday’s Autumn Nations Cup opener against Wales at the Aviva.
Ringrose who misses the match through injury believes a packed Aviva has the ability to spur on the Irish team when they need it so the fans will be missed.
Speaking at the launch of Aviva’s Ireland’s Call competition which will give fans the chance to sing Ireland’s Call alongside the team ahead of their game against Wales, Ringrose says the empty stadium in the build up to the match is what players notice the most.
Wales head coach Wayne Pivac has stuck with the same starting fifteen that he named to face Scotland last month - for Friday's match against Ireland.
Justin Tipuric was a late withdrawal from that team with James Davies coming in to replace him for the 14-10 home defeat.
Tipuric has overcome a bout of tonsilits to return for the Autumn Nations Cup match at the Aviva Stadium on Friday night.
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The Ireland women’s team won’t play again this year.
Their game with France is among the outstanding Six Nations games to be cancelled.
The table finishes as it stands with England already crowned Grand Slam champions.
In further bad news for the Irish team - next month's World Cup European Qualifying competition has been postponed until next year.
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SOCCER
A Republic of Ireland player has tested positive for coronavirus.
The individual is asymptomatic and is understood to be feeling fine.
There are no close contacts and the rest of the squad has tested negative ahead of the friendly international with England at Wembley.
There are further fixtures against Wales and Bulgaria for the Boys in Green after tomorrow.
The English Football Association is looking for a new chairman following Greg Clarke's resignation over comments described as "archaic" and "deeply offensive".
Clarke says the words he used to describe black footballers at a House of Commons committee hearing were a "disservice to our game".
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Brighton forward Aaron Connolly has pulled out of the Republic of Ireland squad with an injury sustained in training yesterday.
Preston striker Seani Maguire has been called up as a replacement for Thursday's friendly against England and the Nations League matches against Wales and Bulgaria.
West Brom striker Callum Robinson has now been confirmed as the COVID-19 positive case in the Ireland camp and will also miss the three matches.
Swansea City's Ryan Manning has been called up and will link up with the squad ahead of the Wales match on Sunday.
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GAA
Pairc Ui Chaoimh will stage the Munster senior football final between Cork and Tipperary.
The match takes place on Sunday week.
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Donegal defender Paddy McGrath has been ruled ouy of Saturday's Ulster Senior Football Championship quarter-final against Armagh.
Manger Declan Bonner has revealed that McGrath has a soft tissue injury that he picked up at the weekend but that it isn't too serious.
Bonner also confirmed that Patrick McBrearty has recovered from a quad injury and is available for selection.
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CYCLING
Dutch cyclist Dylan Groenewegen has been banned for nine months by the UCI for causing the crash at the Tour of Poland in August which left Fabio Jakobsen in a coma.
