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19

Watch: Mayobridge man Charlie Smyth hailed by team-mates for latest NFL heroics – ‘The guys are fired up for him’

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County Down’s Charlie Smyth kicked a 47-yard field goal with six seconds left on the clock to give the New Orleans Saints a 20-17 win over Carolina Panthers on Sunday evening.

The Left Wing: Byrne vs Prendergast, Champions Cup decline & Leinster dig in

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Will and Luke are joined by Ruaidhri O'Connor to review a Champions Cup weekend that saw some good contests but plenty of blowouts amid a huge number of weakened teams.

Watch: Darts player Cameron Menzies left bloodied after punching table in frustration following defeat at Ally Pally

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Cameron Menzies saw red and punched the table in frustration following his 3-2 defeat to Charlie Manby in the first round of the World Darts Championship.

Paul Parker interview: ‘Roy Keane had a go at you for wearing dodgy underpants’

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About 10 years after winning the inaugural Premier League title, Paul Parker was approached by a memorabilia collector.

17

‘I don’t have anything to add’ – Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca declines to clear up confusion over ‘worst 48 hours’ comment

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Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has refused to clarify comments that he is not getting support at the club.

Indo Sport podcast: The Football Show | Celtic shambles | Salah’s return before AFCON | What Iceland thinks of Heimir

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Dan McDonnell joins Joe and Will to recap many of the hot talking points from the world of football, from Mo Salah’s off-the-bench performance in Anfield to Enzo Maresca’s outburst.

Munster welcome Calvin Nash back for Ospreys as Jack Conan fit for Leinster

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Ireland winger Calvin Nash could make a return for Munster against Ospreys on Saturday after more than a month out with a shoulder injury.

16

Snow joke for Naas punters as It’s Bobsled Time springs 250/1 shock for ‘Cool Runnings’ syndicate

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The festive season might be poised to enter full swing, but It's Bobsled Time caught everyone off guard at Naas today when the 250/1 longshot flew home to spring a huge shock in the three-year-old maiden hurdle.

December’s League of Ireland transfers: Former Arsenal youth James Olayinka makes move to Derry

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Our soccer writers bring you the latest transfers of the League of Ireland off-season.

15

Kobe McDonald makes first senior start for Mayo in challenge match against Meath

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Kobe McDonald has played his first game for the Mayo seniors, lining out at right half-forward in a challenge game against Meath on Sunday.

‘I’d happily have stayed on’ – Martin O’Neill reveals he’d have remained in charge of Celtic ‘if asked’

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Martin O’Neill has said he would “happily have stayed on” as Celtic manager after overseeing a successful interim spell that delivered seven wins from eight matches.

14

Mark O’Connor returns to Geelong training with participation in Dingle’s All-Ireland club semi-final looking unlikely

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AFL star Mark O'Connor is back training with Geelong and unlikely to be available for Dingle's All-Ireland club SFC semi-final against Leinster champions Ballyboden St Enda's on January 3.

11

Bohemians will open new League of Ireland season with Aviva Stadium derby against St Patrick’s Athletic

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Bohemians will return to the Aviva Stadium on the opening weekend of the 2026 League of Ireland season for a Dublin derby with St Patrick's Athletic.

Rory McIlroy and Michael Bannon honoured by Irish Golf Writers’ Association

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Masters champion Rory McIlroy and his lifelong coach Michael Bannon have been recognised for their outstanding achievements in the annual Irish Golf Writers’ Association (IGWA) awards.

07

Ruben Amorim accepts criticism from Manchester United legends over Kobbie Mainoo treatment

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Ruben Amorim has no problem with high-profile former players criticising him and his handling of Kobbie Mainoo as the Manchester United manager knows he is “not doing good enough”.

Sunday, Dec 14

22

‘You don’t know me, you’ll think I’m all over the place’ – Wilfried Nancy dismisses claim tactical change cost Celtic final

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Wilfried Nancy dismissed suggestions his tactical transformation had cost Celtic the Scottish League Cup after his disastrous start to life in Glasgow continued with a 3-1 defeat by St Mirren.

Richard Jolly: The key unanswered questions left after Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool return

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Mohamed Salah will go away but the issue will not. Salah returned to the Liverpool side as a substitute against Brighton. Arne Slot may have tried to consign the issue of his remarkable interview at Leeds to the past, but accepted others…

21

Dominic Calvert-Lewin draws comfort for Leeds against Keith Andrews’ Brentford

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Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored for a fourth-consecutive match to end Leeds’ away-day blues with a 1-1 Premier League draw at Brentford.

Tony Ward: Fans are being duped as ‘order of the boot’ and disrespectful selections are ruining the Champions Cup

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A win is a win is a win, or so they continually tell us in the aftermath of weekends such as this – ‘they’ being the steerers of the professional ship.

20

Battling Ireland come up short as England hold on for win in FIH Pro Hockey League

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The Ireland Women’s Hockey team came up short against England in their final FIH Hockey Pro League outing in Dublin, losing 2-1.

Wilfried Nancy’s nightmare start deepens as St Mirren stun Celtic to win Scottish League Cup final

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Wilfried Nancy’s nightmare start to his Celtic reign continued as St Mirren wrestled the Premier Sports Cup from their grasp with a 3-1 Hampden triumph.

19

‘This is not a quick fix’ – Thomas Frank wants more time to turn Tottenham around after Forest defeat

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Tottenham boss Thomas Frank expects to be given time to turn his side’s problems around after insisting there is “no quick fix” following a 3-0 Premier League defeat at Nottingham Forest.

Unai Emery hails ‘ambitious’ Aston Villa as comeback win over West Ham keeps them in title race

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Unai Emery hailed the response of his “ambitious” Aston Villa side after they came from behind twice to beat West Ham 3-2 and keep themselves in the Premier League title race.

Sunderland battle to hard-earned win over Newcastle thanks to Woltemade own goal

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Sunderland secured a 1-0 victory over Newcastle United thanks to Nick Woltemade's unfortunate own goal on Sunday which settled the derby in dramatic fashion as the fierce North-East rivals met in the Premier League for the first time in…

Brian Keogh: Irish golf playing long game as Tour presence wanes

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Neil Manchip still remembers when he started as the GUI’s national coach in 2005 and wondered aloud what the future might hold for Irish professional golf.

18

Kildare’s Grangenolvin crowned Leinster junior football champions after edging out Fighting Cocks

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Kildare side Grangenolvin took the Leinster Junior Football Championship title at a wind-swept SETU Carlow Campus as they edged out the Carlow champions.

‘We will be closer’ says Pep Guardiola as Manchester City reduce gap to Arsenal with Erling Haaland double

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Pep Guardiola urged Manchester City to play on their own terms after they battled to a 3-0 win against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park to cut the gap to two points at the top of the Premier League.

‘When players are useful to the team, they have to play’ – Roma boss gives encouraging words to Evan Ferguson

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Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini says he is pleased with the form of striker Evan Ferguson and has told the Ireland international that he will get chances in the team if his displays earn that for him.

17

Sallins survive second-half comeback from Tubberclair to clinch Leinster intermediate football title

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Hot favourites Sallins survived a huge scare before clinching a third successive Leinster Intermediate Club Football Championship for Kildare clubs with a seven-point win over Tubberclair at Cedral St Conleth’s Park.

15

Former England cricket captain had to take shelter in Bondi restaurant during terrorist attack

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Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan admits being locked in a restaurant in Bondi during a terrorist attack was “scary”.