The Morning Sports Briefing

Soccer: Mixed fortunes for Premier League trio

It's been tough of late for Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, but after yesterday's Champions League draw his team now look the most likely of the English clubs to progress through the first stages of the knockout rounds of the competition.

While Manchester City drew Barcelona, and Chelsea who after easing through their group now face PSG, Arsenal have the far simpler task of fellow French side Monaco. With experience and talent such as Jérémy Toulalan and João Moutinho they’re not to be dismissed, although with them having totted up the least possession of any qualified side, managed the second-fewest shots of any of the 32 group stage competitors, and scored only five goals in six games, it could have been a lot worse for Wenger.

Manchester City’s defiant manager Manuel Pellegrini couldn’t be blamed for venting his frustration at further misfortune. Having already been paired with Bayern Munich and Roma in their group, the league champions now have the ominous task of challenging Barcelona for progression in the competition.

The teams incredibly met at the same stage last season, with the Catalans prevailing 4-1 on aggregate. Nonetheless confidence is brewing at the Etihad.

Meanwhile Everton were in action in last night's Premier League clash "with a Salvation Army brass band playing carols at half-time and prizes for the best festive jumpers. They also invited the most obliging of guests in Queens Park Rangers."

More Rangers drama

The first formal challenge to the dual involvement of Mike Ashley at Newcastle United and Rangers has arrived from the Scottish Football Association, which has issued a notice of complaint against the businessman and the Scottish Championship club. A hearing has been set for 27 January. The Guardian explain that Ashley is essentially alleged to be influencing the management of Rangers when not permitted.

Meanwhile Leeds have been impounded with more misery, the Guardian also report that they are one of three teams to have a transfer ban placed upon them for the January window after breaching the Football League's financial fair play (FFP) rules.

The League announced that the three clubs all incurred financial losses more than the £8m permitted during last season.

GAA: AFL go in search of Kilkenny hurler

With all the debate ensuing over a GAA players' capability of cutting it at the elite level, former Kerry and Sydney Swans player Tadgh Kennelly who is one of the few Gaelic footballers to have made a successful and lasting transition to Australian Rules would have a fair idea of what it takes. As the international talent co-ordinator for the AFL he's been psyche profiling the likes of Kilkenny minor hurling captain Darragh Joyce and Kerry minor Killian Spillane(nephew of Pat) at the AFL combine hosted in DCU over the weekend.

One player who made the switch and played for five years down under, yet now returns home a completely different player, is Tommy Walsh. Are we to see him in the Kerry number six jersey next summer?

New Westmeath manager manager Tom Cribbin insists there'll be no pressure put on county stalwart Dessie Dolan to reverse his retirement plans for the 2015 season. He'll make his mind up in the new year.

Down in Munster and Limerick have announced the appointment of former Clare player and Dublin manager Anthony Daly as head coach of the their hurling academy. He will also coach the team's minor hurling team.

World Cup bid in trouble

Yesterday a High Court judge in Belfast ruled that Northern Ireland’s Environment Minister acted unlawfully in approving the redevelopment of Casement Park.

The Irish News spoke to the county’s concerned former captain Anto Finnegan, who recently had the hugely successful charity ’Game for Anto’ match between an Ulster select and Dublin hosted for him in Kingspan Stadium.

Finnegan, who was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease in 2012, says that stalled development plans are resulting in “a derelict stadium and no county ground for the foreseeable future," which will affect the county's playing numbers.

Meanwhile the chairman of Ireland's 2023 World Cup bid has told the Irish Daily Mail of ’the vital’ importance the Ulster stadium has for the possibility of hosting an Ulster pool at the tournament.

Rugby: Provincial struggles

Leinster and Ireland lock Devin Toner understands that not just results, but performances are expected of the three-time European champions, and their stuttering home win over a depleted Harlequins side last weekend certainly was not the best the province had to offer.

He told Johnny Watterson the lineout and scrum troubles of Saturday evening must be resurrected: "Even though we did win, lads felt down after it because we didn't show our ability. Set-piece is a huge part of that."

Meanwhile Ulster are looking to put their European Cup disappointments behind them, and while last weekend certainly wasn’t a positive overall, the province can be content that at least no further injuries were picked up to add to that already weighted list of absentees.

Athletics: More doping scandals

The doping scandal continues in athletics, as Kenyan long-distance runners Viola Chelangat Kimetto and Joyce Jemutai Kiplimo have failed drugs tests and will be banned for two years. While tests from five other Kenyan athletes have aroused suspicion.

Kimetto, who finished third in the 2012 Athens Marathon, failed a urine drugs test at the Macau Galaxy Entertainment International Marathon on December 1st last year. Kiplimo failed a doping test taken after the 2014 Yangzhou Half Marathon, which she finished in 1:10:21 in April. Both women tested positive for norandrosterone.

Dozens of Kenyan athletes, including Rita Jeptoo have failed dope tests in the past two years.