The Morning Sports Brief

Rugby: Significant improvement

Since Gerry Thornley revealed last week that approaches had been made by English club Northampton to tempt Munster’s JJ Hanrahan from Thomond Park come the season’s end, the province have been quick to highlight their intent on securing the future of their young outhalf.

This morning Thornley reveals that the odds of doing so have increased over the last 48 hours with a significantly improved bid now on the table for the talented youngster.

Munster head coach Anthony Foley will be looking to put negotiations to one side this weekend though as the team travel to France for the European Champions Cup return fixture with Clermont.

Scrumhalf Conor Murray believes that despite the pedigree of the French side, particularly on home soil, the lack of pressure and the motivation gained from their home defeat last weekend will be all the stimulus necessary for a most famous of victories.

Leinster too have their key European return fixture to prepare for this weekend, as what looks to be a now-depleted Harlequins team travel to the Aviva off-the-back of their home victory last Sunday. Luke Fitzgerald returned for that game, featuring on the wing, but he now looks set to fill in at centre alongside Ian Madigan come Saturday as Gordon D’Arcy struggles with injury.

Snooker: Whirlwind finds shelter

One of the greatest snooker players of all time, Jimmy White’s career has been less than ordinary. Johnny Watterson has caught up with mercurial legend of the game, talking snooker and delving in to the trouble with alcohol and drugs which have stuttered his career over the years.

In an insightful read, White insists he's still set to make an impact upon this year's World Championships.

Soccer: The West Wing

Emmet Malone has been explaining this morning why, “you quickly realise after arriving, the pros and, if you’ll excuse the pun, cons to playing football in a prison yard.”

Mountjoy's west wing on a chilly Wednesday morning, mightn't be the most glamorous of places for the Bohemians coaches who selflessly travel over for training sessions. Yet nonetheless it's a hugely impactive service for all involved. None more so than those inmates with English league or League of Ireland experience who now ply their trade in the Conway Cup while finishing out their sentences.

Stoke City and Irish international Jon Walters bagged his 100th professional goal last Saturday, the unlikely Premier League star's directness has transferred brilliantly into effectiveness at the very top level.

During a spell with Ipswich town Roy Keane quickly learnt that this stems and carries from the off-field persona of the man. Here's why Jonathan Walters is the epitome of the Stoke way.

Last night there was Europa League action as Celtic lost out again, away to Dinamo Zagreb this time in a seven goal thriller. Nonetheless they advance to the knockout stages.

Similarly Everton and Tottenham both lost their games to Krasnador and Beskitas respectively, although the two English teams had already secured qualification.

Mario gamble

The Irish Star are claiming this morning that Mario Balottelli will start for Liverpool against Manchester United this weekend, in his first game back from injury. In an interview with the Herald, former Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni says the Italian will look back on his career with regret some day. A waste of talent he says.

Meanwhile Fifa's executive committee will be asked to formally vote next week on whether the Garcia report into World Cup bidding should be published.

GAA: Good news for managers

The Gaelic Players Association have this year opened their support programmes to inter-county managers as well as players.

Yesterday former Westmeath footballer David O’Shaughnessy, along with former Dublin players Coman Goggins and Barry Cahill, were granted MBA scholarships. They follow second-year students Chris Breen from Fermanagh and Leitrim’s Rob Lowe onto the DCU MBA programme.

Meanwhile and Monaghan supporters will be buoyed by the news that Dick Clerkin will stay on for the 2015 season, the experienced midfielder told the Irish News that he’s not happy with the current playing calender though.

Golf: Captain Fantastic

He phoned Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Shane Lowry – all players likely to be in the frame for a place on the plane to Rio – and he had a 45 minutes long conversation with Stephanie Meadow. Only then did he take on the role, but thankfully Ryder Cup winning captain Paul McGinley did accept the “honour” of being Ireland’s golf Leader for the 2016 Olympics.

"I'd been involved in so many before moving into the captaincy that I knew the role and what the Ryder Cup was about and what went on behind the scenes. With this, it is a big question mark..."

Although Ireland will not officially name their cricket World Cup squad until early next month, the 15 players named on Thursday for four warm-up One-Day Internationals in Dubai in January look set to represent the country in Australia and New Zealand in February. The chairman of selectors Alan Lewis, says that this was "the toughest selection meeting I've been involved with."

The Telegraph have revealed that in order to remain a part of the McLaren team, former F1 world champion Jenson Button had to slash his salary by a third.