Sport

The Morning Sports Briefing

Leinster and Ulster kick off Pro 12 campaigns, Ian McKinley’s Leinster return, John Allen expecting another epic and Martin O’Neill surprised Robbie Brady not in top flight

Cian Healy starts for Leinster against Treviso on Friday night. Photograph: Inpho
Cian Healy starts for Leinster against Treviso on Friday night. Photograph: Inpho
Fri Sept 02 2016 - 08:26

Pro 12 returns

The Pro 12 returns this weekend, and with defending champions Connacht not playing until Saturday tea time Leinster and Ulster have the chance to lay down a marker when their campaigns get underway tonight.

Leo Cullen’s side are badly hampered by absences - 19 in total - but he has still been able to field an experienced XV which should have more than enough to see off visiting Treviso, with both Rob Kearney and Cian Healy starting at the RDS.

McKinley’s homecoming

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It will be a poignant evening for Treviso’s Ian McKinkley who returns to the ground where he made his last league appearance for former side Leinster in 2011, before he was forced to retire from the game after losing the sight in his left eye.

Gerry Thornley spoke to McKinley, who has been able to return to rugby thanks to specially designed protective eye goggles, he said: “It really has come full circle. If you said this day would happen you couldn’t script it.”

John Allen

In his column today John Allen looks ahead to Sunday’s All-Ireland hurling final between Kilkenny and Tipperary, which he believes could be another clash for the ages: “We’ve had a number of finals between these two counties over the past number of years that are correctly categorised as classics and epics. Sunday has the potential to add another chapter.”

O’Neill surprise

Ireland manager Martin O’Neill has expressed his surprise Robbie Brady didn’t secure a return to the Premier League along with his old mate Jeff Hendrick.

Brady will be staying with Norwich City in the Championship until at least January, O’Neill said: “I have been championing his cause now for the last couple of years. Does he play brilliantly for us, maybe better than he has done at club level? I don’t know is the answer but he has been exceptional for us.”

What to watch out for:

Rugby

The Pro 12 gets underway as Leinster take on Treviso at the RDS (TG4 7.35pm) and Ulster take on the Dragons at Ravenhill (BBC 2 7.35pm)

Football

There are three League of Ireland games tonight, with Bohemians welcoming champions Dundalk to Dalymount Park, Derry City facing Galway and Shamrock Rovers taking on St Pat’s.

Golf

The European Masters continues in Switzerland (SS4 10.30am-5.30pm) and the Deutsche Bank championship gets underway in Boston (SS4 7.30pm-11.30pm). Rory McIlroy tees off at 6.04pm Irish time with Graeme McDowell off at 6.16pm.