SOCCER
Manchester City's Champions League ambitions are virtually over for another season after they were held to a two-all draw by Ajax at the Etihad Stadium.
City needed to win their Group D clash to have any realistic chance of reaching the knock-out stages, but they found themselves 2-0 down after just 17 minutes following an early double from Siem de Jong.
Yaya Toure's volley just before half-time and a second-half strike from Sergio Aguero salvaged a point for
City, who were furious not to be awarded a penalty in injury time after they also had a goal wrongly disallowed for off-side.
In the other Group D game, Real Madrid also fought-back from two-nil down to draw two-all with Borussia Dortmund - a result that still give City a mathematical chance of getting to the knock-out stages.
Roberto Mancini's team have to win their remaining games against Dortmund and Real, and hope that Ajax can get at least a draw against the Spanish giants.
Arsenal also drew two-all with Schalke in Germany.
Goals from Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud put Arsenal into a commanding lead, but Schalke fought-back to salvage a draw, which keeps them above the Gunners in the Group B table.
Arsene Wenger's side were put under severe pressure during the second-half, but were left to rue a late miss from Walcott that could have secured all three points.
Also in that group, Olympiakos beat Montpellier by three goals to one to move to within a single point of the Gunners.
In Group A, Paris St German thrashed Dinamo Zagreb 4-0 to move within a point of leaders FC Porto, who were held to a scoreless draw away to Dynamo Kiev.
In Group C, Malaga came away from the San Siro with a one-all draw against AC Milan, which guarantees the Spanish side a place in the next round, while Anderlecht beat Zenit St. Petersburg by a goal to nil.
Tonight, Manchester United can qualify for the last 16 with a win away to Braga.
Celtic are at home to Barcelona and holders Chelsea welcome Shakhtar Donetsk to Stamford Bridge.
Crystal Palace have moved to the top of the Championship.
Ian Holloway's first match in charge of the club saw them hammer Ipswich 5-0.
Previous leaders Cardiff lost 5-4 at Charlton.
Middlesbrough stay second after a goalless draw at Nottingham Forest. Blackburn's Jordan Rhodes scored on his return to Huddersfield but the game finished 2-Elsewhere there were wins for Brighton, Burnley, Derby, Hull, Birmingham and Blackpool.
It finished goalless between Bolton and Leicester, and Watford against Millwall.
The Republic of Ireland are down eight places in the latest FIFA World rankings.
Giovanni Trapattoni's side find themselves in 36th following the heavy defeat to Germany who remain second.
Spain are still top of the pile while Argentina have replaced Portugal in third place.
England have dropped a place to 6th.
Northern Ireland have moved up to 100th while Wales and Scotland are 66th and 70th respectively.
The Scottish FA are being urged to make Walter Smith the nation's next manager by former striker Derek Johnstone.
Meanwhile, Alex McLeish has ruled himself out of succeeding Craig Levein.
GAELIC GAMES
John Gardiner and Niall McCarthy won't be part of the Cork hurling panel next season.
Both players played a key role in Cork's All-Ireland winning teams in in 2004 and 2005.
Gardiner's been told by the management team that he won't be involved while McCarthy's believed to be considering emigrating in the new year.
Wexford dual star Lee Chin has called for the GAA to get tough on racism.
The Wexford county board are set to put forward a motion at their annual convention that would make racial abuse an automatic red card offence in the future.
As things stand there's a minimum eight-week suspension for any act of a sectarian or racist nature.
Chin's been on the receiving end of racial abuse on a number of occasions but hopes the GAA can act now to cut it out of the game
Portlaoise CBS and Cistercian Roscrea both progress in round one of the Leinster Colleges Senior Hurling B yesterday afternoon
Portlaoise won 2-14 to 1-9 away to FCJ Bunclody while Roscrea were one point winners over Colaiste Eamann Ris
Colaiste Mhuire Mullingar and Boyne Community School must meet again, they were locked at 3-9 a-piece at the end of extra time
BOXING
Amir Khan says he's disappointed by John Joe Nevin's decision to sign up for the World Series of Boxing Team Championships
Khan had agreed a deal for the Olympic silver medalist to go pro with his stable in the new year but the Mullingar man has instead opted to remain amateur
Nevin is now part of the British Lionhearts team along with fellow Westmeath man Joe Ward, Khan has not ruled out promoting Nevin should he go pro in the future
RUGBY UNION
Simon Zebo could be in line to start at full back this weekend when Ireland take on South Africa at the Aviva in the first of their Autumn Internationals.
Declan Kidney is without regular full back Rob Kearney due to injury - the team will be named tomorrow.
South Africa will name their team at lunchtime today.
Wales have dropped scum-half Mike Phillips for the Autumn international against Argentina this weekend.
Tavis Knoyle comes in at number nine - and prop Aaron Jarvis makes his debut.
GOLF
It's a 4.30 start tomorrow morning for Shane Lowry at the Barclays Singapore Open
The world number 56 will play alongside Rafa Cabrera Bello and Thongchai Jaidee for the opening round
There's an excellent field for the 2 million dollar event including former major winners Louis Oosthuizen, Padraig Harrington and Phil Mickelson as well as defending champion Rory McIlory
SNOOKER
Ronnie O'Sullivan has decided he won't be playing on the official snooker tour this season.
World Snooker say the player has pulled out of the sport for the next 12-months because of "personal issues which he needs to resolve."
RACING
There's racing at Fairyhouse today where the first one goes to post at 12.45.
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