SOCCER
Theo Walcott inspired Arsenal to bounce-back from four-nil down to beat Reading by seven goals to five after extra-time in an incredible League Cup shoot-out at the Madejski Stadium.
In the only all-Premier League tie of the night, Walcott scored in the 96th minute to force extra-time and then bagged a dramatic winner in stoppage time in the added time.
Irish international Noel Hunt was among the goal-scorers as Reading charged into a commanding four-nil lead before Walcott pulled one back before half-time.
Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny set-up a tense finale to normal time, which was capped by a deflected shot from Walcott was was judged to have crossed the line.
Marouane Chamakh then put Arsenal 5-4 ahead before Pavel Pogrebnyak thought he had forced the game into a penalty shoot-out.
There was still time for Walcott to claim his hat-trick before Chamakh put an extra gloss on the scoreline.
Wigan, Sunderland and Southampton all crashed-out to lower-league opponents.
Wigan were beaten 4-2 on penalties by Bradford after a scoreless draw at the DW Stadium.
Sunderland suffered a north-east derby defeat after losing 1-0 to Middlesbrough at the Stadium of Light.
Scott McDonald's first-half goal gave the Championship side a shock victory over Martin O'Neill's side.
Leeds thrashed Southampton by three goals to nil at Elland Road.
Aston Villa scored a 90th minute winner to beat Swindon Town, 3-2.
Tonight Chelsea host Manchester United, Liverpool play Swansea and Norwich take on Spurs.
Dundalk and Waterford United played out a two-all draw in the first-leg of this season's Airtricity League promotion/relegation play-off.
The Lilywhites took the lead, against the run of play, at Oriel Park when Lorcan Shannon scored after 22 minutes, Shannon finished from 10 yards out after Chris Reilly's cross.
The home side were reduced to ten men 11 minutes later when Stephen Maher was sent-off after lashing-out at Waterford's Peter Higgins.
Waterford drew level shortly after the start of the second-half when Paul Phelan equalised with a thumping header from a cross by Higgins.
The visitors then went ahead after Ben Ryan scored with another header on the hour mark.
Dundalk pulled themselves level through Stephen McDonnell with 15 minutes remaining and neither side could find a winner ahead of next Friday's second leg at the RSC.
Celtic have cruised into the Scottish League Cup semi-finals beating St.Johnstone 5-0. Kris Commons scored a hat-trick while Charlie Mulgrew and Gary Hooper got the others.
St Mirren are also into the semi-finals after a 4-2 penalty shoot-out victory over Aberdeen.
It's being reported that Mick McCarthy will be appointed Ipswich manager in the coming days.
It's expected that he'll hire former Ipswich midfielder Matt Holland as his assistant.
Former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has ruled himself out of the running to take over the Blackburn manager's job.
Redknapp was thought to be one of the front-runners to take charge of the Championship side since the departure of Steve Kean.
Manchester City defender Micah Richards has been told that he's now facing up to 16 weeks on the sidelines after knee surgery.
The 24-year-old was initially expecting to be absent for just eight weeks.
GAELIC GAMES
Tyrone defender Ryan McMcMenamin has announced his retirement.
Cork goalkeeper Alan Quirke will miss the bulk of next years league campaign.
The 36 year old All Ireland winning stopper will be on peace keeping duty on the Lebannon and won't be back until April.
Mick O'Dwyer is expected to become the Clare senior football manager next week
The former Leinster Championship winner with Laois will be 77 next June
O'Dwyer has been managing his local club Waterville in the past year
GOLF
Shane Lowry's bid to break the world's top 50 by year's end continues tomorrow morning as he takes part in the lucrative HSBC Champions event
It's been an October to remember for the Clara native as he won the Portugal Masters, his first tour win as a pro and also became the top ranked golfer from the Republic of Ireland
Shane tees off his first round at 20 past 2 Irish time in the morning
RUGBY UNION
Ireland's chances of a successful November International Series have been dealt a blow by the forced withdrawal of two more of our first-choice players.
Brian O'Driscoll and Rory Best have joined Rob Kearney and Sean O'Brien on the absentee list for the matches against South Africa, Fiji and Argentina.
O'Driscoll also looks set to miss Leinster's crucial Heineken Cup double-header against Clermont Auvergne in December after being told that he needs surgery to repair ankle ligament damage, which is likely to keep him out of action for up to three months.
The Ireland captain picked-up the injury during last Saturday's win over the Cardiff Blues, but it was initially thought to be a simple ankle sprain before scans showed-up the full extent of the injury.
Best has been told that he sprained ligaments in his neck during last Friday's Pro-12 win over the Dragons, which means that he's facing up to six weeks rest.
Heineken Cup organisers the ERC have announced that they're now considering three different versions of the tournament from 2014 on-wards.
After another meeting of the competition's stakeholders in Dublin yesterday, the ERC have been asked to carry out in-depth studies of three potential models - including a continuation of the existing 24-team format.
The two possible changes would be for a 20-club or a 32-club Heineken Cup for the 2014/2015 season.
The ERC say that they'll take six weeks to make an evaluation before the next stakeholder meeting in December.
Chris Robshaw will captain England for the autumn rugby union internationals.
The Harlequins flanker had the job during the Six Nations and tour of South Africa, though he was replaced for one test by Dylan Hartley because of injury.
BASKETBALL
Young Midlanders Sean Smith and Sean Kavanagh have been selected on the Irish Under 15 basketball squad
The team begin training in Dublin tomorrow
While Portlaoise Panthers host Team Tom McCarthys St Marys at 7.30 this Saturday in the National League Women's Division One
Portlaoise have one win and one loss so far this season, Tom McCarthy's St Mary's lead the way with a 2 and 1 record
RACING
The eagerly-awaited chasing debut of Oscars Well is the highlight of a seven-race jumps card at Punchestown this afternoon.
The action begins at 12.45pm and the going is soft, soft to heavy in places.
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