The Morning Sports Briefing

The Champions League returned last night and it certainly didn't disappoint, a smash and grab Manchester City victory over Bayern Munich keeping their qualification hopes alive, and providing the sort of European night and result the Premier League has been in desperate need of this season.

When nothing other than a win would do, the English champions scored two late on through the ruthlessly efficient Sergio Aguero to win 3-2.

Meanwhile Chelsea continued their great start to the season, as they eased past German outfit Schalke. Their manager Roberto di Matteo had been right to suppose sentimentality would go ignored against the team he had guided to Champions League success two years ago.

The other big news from last night's action came via another Argentine magician as Lionel Messi set a new Champions League scoring record with a hat-trick as Barcelona beat Irish striker Cillian Sheridan's APOEL Nicosia 4-0. Luis Suarez also netted his first in Barcelona colours.

Soccer: Another song and dance

The FAI has again failed to respond to questions from The Irish Times over the controversy surrounding its chief executive John Delaney. This time the questions related to how a London-based law firm acting on behalf of the association came to inform at least two major British newspapers that the man singing the IRA song Joe McDonnell in a video posted on YouTube last week was not Delaney.

It's also emerged that Dublin-based website Balls.ie was also threatened with legal action in the event that it did not take a link to the video down. This threat was made verbally by a senior association staff member. Among those offended by the incident was former Irish Football Association president Jim Boyce, now senior vice-president at Fifa.

Rugby: Henry recovering

Ulster officials remain optimistic that Chris Henry will make a full recovery after undergoing heart surgery on Monday.

While the flanker’s return to full health remained his and their priority for the foreseeable future, “if he gets back to playing professional rugby that will be fantastic.”

Leinster forwards coach Leo Cullen has also provided Gerry Thornley with the latest on the injury front for the province, explaining the ongoing hip and groin issues troubling Luke Fitzgerald.

While Pat Lam has revealed to Gavin Cummiskey that Connacht hooker Jason Harris-Wright will be out for six months with a knee injury.

Remaining on the injury front and former Munster and Ireland flanker Alan Quinlan has praised the Irish rugby team doctor Éanna Falvey for his decisive action in dealing the quintet of Irish players who suffered concussion-like symptoms during Saturday's game with Australia.

Wales may have lost their last 22 games against the major Southern hemisphere nations but manager Warren Gatland clearly wasn't expecting the post-game grilling he received during a BBC interview after their most recent defeat to New Zealand.

Wales have written to the broadcaster complaining about the tone of the interview with their three-time Six Nations winning manager.

There's also a very interesting interview in this morning's Telegraph with Australian winger Henry Speight. The "shy wallaby" is keen to restore his family honour after his uncle led a violent Fijian coup back when he was only 12. "Uncle George" still watches Henry's games from prison.

Boxing: Welcome home

'I want to make history; I want to be the greatest of all time.' The now five-time world champion Katie Taylor arrived to a hero's welcome in Dublin airport on Tuesday evening.

The ultimate champion: humble, inspiring and yet ruthlessly confident in a sport that requires it, Irish Amateur Boxing Association president Tommy Murphy recalled waiting for Katie after the very first tournament she ever won, "outside the door waiting for her afterwards. I was the only one. Look at her now."

Horse racing trainer Philip Fenton has lodged an appeal to the Turf Club against the severity of his three year disqualification from racing.

After being found guilty on eight charges of possessing banned animal medicines, including anabolic steroids, at a district court hearing last month, Fenton was ‘warned off’ by the Turf Club on Saturday for three years.

While jockey Bryan Cooper has also appealed against a four-day suspension for improper riding at Navan last weekend.

But as controversy continues to surround the sport in Ireland, The Guardian report that Anthony Knott, a British racehorse owner, looks almost certain to be warned off after being found guilty of passing information to a gambler about one of his horses.

The verdict was issued on Tuesday by a disciplinary panel of the British Horse racing Authority, which will now try to arrange a hearing to consider the appropriate penalty.

GAA: Coulter set for management

After announcing his retirement on Monday Down footballer Benny Coulter admitted to the Irish Examiner that Down's All-Ireland final loss to Cork in 2010 is the great regret of his career which will "eat me up until I go to my grave."

He says while he can no longer lift Sam Maguire as a player, he intends to do so as a manager at some point in the future.

The Herald are reporting that Dublin senior hurler David O’Callaghan is posed for a transfer to Ballyboden St Enda’s.

While ahead of the weekend's Munster club football final The Nire manager Benji Whelan is under no illusions about the size of the task facing his Waterford side.

Cricket: Counselling required

Australia batsman Phil Hughes is in intensive care and on life support in an induced coma after being struck on the head by a bouncer in a Sheffield Shield match.

The Guardian report that counselling has been offered to players, including bowler Sean Abbott, from the two teams - South Australia and New South Wales.

Hughes underwent emergency surgery at St Vincent’s hospital, with paramedics performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and treating the left-hander on the boundary for 40 minutes.