Sport

The Morning Sports Briefing

Dubs prove they are a team for the ages - Darragh Ó Sé, Joe Schmidt defers his decision and what to watch out for

Robbie Keane will bow out at the Aviva tonight. Photograph: Gary Carr/Inpho
Robbie Keane will bow out at the Aviva tonight. Photograph: Gary Carr/Inpho
Wed Aug 31 2016 - 08:48

Soccer

Ireland play their first game tonight since their Euro 2016 exit - ahead of Monday night’s first World Cup qualifier - but all the focus ahead of this match is on Robbie Keane.

The record Irish goalscorer will bid farewell to international football after the game (against Oman at the Aviva) - and Emmet Malone is concerned about the absence of talent coming through to replace him. "Very, very few of the generation now looking to make that breakthrough have anything like their predecessors' talent."

Tennis

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Serena Williams has cruised to a 6-3 6-3 victory in her US Open first round match against Ekaterina Makarova. Sixth-seeded Venus had provided the opening act for sister Serena when she outlasted Ukraine’s Kateryna Kozlova 6-2 5-7 6-4. While Andy Murray made it five British players into the US Open second round for the first time since 1987 by cruising past Lukas Rosol in straight sets.

Rugby

Joe Schmidt has deferred his decision on his Ireland future, the Irish head coach will tell the IRFU in two weeks' time whether he will extend his four-year tenure or return to New Zealand.

GAA

Dublin's semi-final win over Kerry last Sunday has convinced Darragh Ó Sé that Jim Gavin's side are a team for the ages -

“I wouldn’t be human if I was able to watch that last 10 minutes of the first half with a cool head. I had a brother down there, I had some of my best friends on the sideline and on the pitch. For them to come up to Croke Park and do what we all hoped and prayed they could do, that was blood-pumping stuff. But in the end, Dublin are a team for the ages.”

Golf

For first time since 1997, there's only one Irish player on European Ryder Cup team. Yesterday captain Darren Clarke overlooked both Graeme McDowell and Shane Lowry as he named his three captain's "wild cards" as Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer and Thomas Pieters.

What to watch out for

Novak Djokovic and Rafa Nadal are both out in their second round matches this afternoon, on day three of the US Open in New York.

Eurosport, 3.30pm-8am

Ireland versus Oman kicks off at the Aviva at 7.45pm.

eir Sport 1 from 7pm