Friday Morning Sports Update

Keeping you up to date on GAA, soccer, rugby, tennis, golf and racing.

GAA

Kildare footballers begin their Division 2 League campaign away to Tyrone tomorrow evening at 6pm.

Kfm will have commentary in association with Hanlon Concrete, Robertstown, with Ger McNally and Philie Wolfe.

Kfm will be awarding a player of the match for each of this season.

Kildare football and hurling league games, 7 football and 6 hurling.

Sponsored by Frank McMahon and Co Accountants Kildare, Naas and Dublin, each player of the match will receive a €100 Voucher

The Ladies National Football League also begins this weekend.

Kildare begin their Division 1 League campaign away to Cork on Sunday at 2pm.

Hannah Kelly will be joined on this morning's Kildare Today by Leinster Leader Sports Editor Tommy Callaghan and Kfm's Seamus Dillon to preview the football games.

A reminder that this evening's Preview Show from 6:25pm looks ahead to all the weekend sporting action.

SOCCER

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has hailed his team's "colossal spirit" shown in their 2-all draw at Bologna last night.

The Scottish champions let a two goal slip but battled with 10-men to secure a point in Italy.

Aston Villa secured their place in the last-16 with a 1-nil win at Fenerbahce.

Nottingham Forest are likely to face a play-off after their 1-nil defeat at Braga.

Rangers have been eliminated despite their 1-nil victory at home to Ludogorets.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino's been told to focus on making "cheap tickets" and not "cheap jokes about British fans by the Football Supporters' Association.

At the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, Infantino said it was "really special" that "no British nationals were arrested" during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

As he addressed issues like the high price of tickets and possible visa issues for fans wanting to attend the World Cup in the USA this summer, the FIFA president pointed out the last tournament passed with virtually no incidents despite controversy before it kicked off,

RUGBY

Suncroft brothers Sam and Cian Prendergast come face to face for this weekend's interpro derby at Dexcom Stadium.

Leintser play Connacht tomorrow evening, with kick-off at 5:30pm. 

Munster head coach Clayton McMillan has backed his team to show a reaction to their Champions Cup exit tonight.

The Reds welcome the Dragons to Virgin Media Park, with Sean Edogbo set to make his competitive debut for the province.

McMillan admits there was some soul searching after last weekend's defeat to Castres..

TENNIS

Men's world number one Carlos Alcaraz has cruised into the last-16 at the Australian Open tennis.

He saw off Corentin Moutet in straight sets.

The world's top women's player Aryna Sabalenka survived a scare against Anastasia Potapova.

She needed two tie breaks to win 7-6 7-6.

3rd seed Coco Gauff was forced into a deciding set before beating world number 70 Hailey Baptiste 3-6 6-love 6-3.

GOLF

Patrick Reed has taken the clubhouse lead on day two of golf's Dubai Desert Classic.

The former Masters champion has signed for a six-under-par round of 66 to move to nine-under.

Tom McKibbin is three-under-par after his second-round, Shane Lowry is one-under out on course with Rory McIlroy on level-par.

Seamus Power is five shots off the lead heading into day two at The American Express.

The Waterford man had six birdies in a five-under-par round of 67 in California.

Pierceson Coody and Min Woo Lee are at the summit of the leaderboard on 10-under.
 

RACING

There's an eight-race meeting on the all-weather at Dundalk this afternoon, with the first off at 3:55pm.