Monday morning headlines

GAELIC GAMES

First time Leinster Club champions in both football and hurling were crowned yesterday

Maiden Offaly hurling champions Kilcormac Killoughey added the Leinster crown with a 1-12 to 0-11 win over Oulart the Ballagh at Nowlan Park - it's the third year in a row that Wexford's Oulart have come up short in the final

Double Ks full forward Dan Currams scored their goal inside the opening minute in a game they led from pillar to post

The Dublin football champions once again got the better of Portlaoise as Ballymun avenged their defeat to The Town in 1982 with an 0-11 to 0-8 victory in Mullingar

Kickhams opened up a 0-9 to 0-3 lead after 40 minutes and despite a spell of three points in a row Portlaoise were unable to close the gap as Ballymun won by three points

Our coverage of the Leinster Club Hurling Final was with thanks to Newton Plant Hire and Aut Even Hospital while the Football Final was brought to you by Taylor and Conroy Osteopaths and Injury Clinics in Tullamore and Portlaoise and Laois Hire

Offaly captain Niall McNamee kicked ten points as they defeated Meath 0-16 to 0-13 in the final of the Fitzsimons Cup tournament in Kells yesterday

Pat Dingle Daly is the new Rhode football manager

The former Village player replaces the outgoing Gerry Hickey who managed the Under 21s and Seniors to county titles last year and also won the Division One League  

In the Westmeath Under 21 Football Final 15 A-side on Friday night Maryland Tang got the better of Athlone by 0-11 to 0-08

In the 13 a side final it was Tyrrellspass 4-15 Castledaly 1-05

RUGBY UNION

Athlone’s Robbie Henshaw and Danny Qualter featured for Connacht in their 22-17 win over Biarritz in the Heineken Cup on Friday evening

Out half Dan Parks kicked 17 of Connacht’s points in the Galway victory

Paul O'Connell is considering surgery on his back injury, that's according to the Irish Independent.

The 33 year old last played in October and according to the paper isn't expected to return until January at the earliest.

Leinster coach Joe Schmidt says he doesn't regret Johnny Sextons attempted kick to the corner when 3 points was available from a penalty in yesterday’s 15-12 loss to Clermont in France.

The Blues are now 5 points behind the French side ahead of next weeks meeting between the two at the Aviva.

Tullamore have opened up a 13 point lead at the summit of the Leinster League's Division One A

John Moylan's side ran in four tries at Spollenstown on Saturday evening as they defeated Dundalk 32-0

Portarlington slip to 6th in the second flight following their 34-6 home loss against table toppers Tullow

Portlaoise got their second win in a row in Two A, defeating New Ross 54-0 while on Saturday night Mullingar lost 32-22 to Malahide

Edenderry moved within 8 points of Two B leaders Railway Union with a game in hand, Edenderry won away to Athy 15-8

Birr's 11-3 home win over North Meath sees them remain second in Division 3

Tries from Leo Auva'a and Rhys Ruddock helped Leinster A to a 16-12

win away to Jersey in the British and Irish Cup, Mullingar's Conor Gilsenan came on for Leinster

Tadgh Leader kicked 3 penalties and Buccs Jack Carty one penalty in Connacht Eagles 17-12 loss to Cross Keys

Buccaneers players Mark McCrea, Jack Carty, Dave Heffernan and Eoghan Grace were involved with Connacht

Leinster and Munster will fight it out for the Women's Interprovincial title at Ashbourne this Saturday

Both teams are undefeated, Leinster were 24-20 winners against Ulster on Saturday

While Walsh Island's Niamh Kavanagh played for Munster in their 24-3 win over Connacht at Musgrave

Portlaoise's Tanala Kehoe, Jean Moore and captain Alison Miller as well as Buccs' Niamh Ni Dhroma were involved with Connacht

SOCCER

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini says he doesn't want Mario Balotelli to throw away his talent.

Balotelli was substituted early in the second half of yesterdays 3-2 loss to Manchester United at the Eihad after giving away the ball straight in front of the City bench.

The loss means City are 6 points behind the Red Devils at the top.

Mancini says the 22 year old who's scored 3 goals for the club this season needs to become more professional if he's to have a future at the club.

Glen Johnson , Joe Cole and Jon Joe Shelvey scored as Liverpool beat West Ham 3-2 at Upton Park while Everton needed 2 injury time goals to beat Spurs 2-1 at Goodison park.

Seamus Coleman played a part in the build up too both goals for the Toffees who now lie fourth.

Tonight Fulham host Newcastle at Craven Cottage, kick off is at 8.

There was mixed news for the Midlands teams in the LFA Senior Cup at the weekend

Leinster Senior League side Edenderry lost 3-1 away to Bangor yesterday while on Friday night there was a 3-0 away win for Willow Park against Glebe North

CCFL Premier Division leaders CK United conceded twice in the closing 10 minutes as they lost 2-1 to Cork's Pearse Celtic in the FAI Junior Cup

Mullingar Athletic also exited the competition at the hand of Sligo's City United

Clara B won on penalties away to Rosbercon in the LFA Junior Shield

In the CCFL's Senior Division St Peters were 4-1 winners away to Mountmellick while Monksland had a 2-0 home win against Gallen

Paul Skinner, Aido Collins, Barry Clancy and Niall Lanigan have signed for Athlone Town

Skinner and Lanigan are both former Ireland Youth internationals

Athlone Town Under 19s made it 10 league matches without defeat when they came from a goal down to defeat local rivals Longford Town 2-1 today at Flancare Park on Saturday

Both Athlone Town goals were Ian Sweeney penalties.

SNOOKER

Mark Selby has won the UK Championship.

The World number one beat Shaun Murphy 10-6 in last nights final.

ATHLETICS

History for Fionnuala Britton as she has become the first athlete ever to retain the women's European Cross-Country title.

She had two seconds to spare and helped guide Ireland to a first ever senior team gold.

Portlaoise Athletics Club's Michael Mulhare was 44th in the men's senior race, his sister Mary was 41st in the women's junior with Mullingar Harrier's Linda Conroy in 70th 

PARALYMPICS

Ballinahown's Mark Rohan was honoured for his achievements at the Paralympics on Friday night

At the National Paralympics Awards he collected the Outstanding Debut Games performance prize for his double gold haul at the London Games

RACING

Flemenstar ran out an impressive winner from Sir Des Champs in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase yesterday afternoon

Peter Casey’s seven year old took control two fences from home to land the Grade One and has been cut to 5/1 for the Gold Cup at Cheltenham

The Lexus Chase at Leopardstown at Christmas could be his next start but afterwards Casey confirmed that a rematch at Cheltenham with Sir Des Champs is most certainly on the cards.

The long trip down to Cork on Sunday paid dividends for Noel Meade as the Castletown trainer sent out the exciting Road To Riches to win the Grade 3 Cork Stayers Novice Hurdle.

Owned by Michael O’Leary’s Westmeath Gigginstown House Stud, Road To Riches survived a bad mistake at the final hurdle and went on to win comfortably under Paul Carberry by two and three quarter lengths from Dushrembrandt.

Road To Riches was returned the 2-5 favourite. 

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