Thursday Lunch Sport, with Joe Mallon Motors, Sallins Rd, Naas

Double Minor Football win for Kildare; Europa League this Evening; Aintree GN Field Declared; Crucible Snooker Draw.

A double Leinster minor football championship win for two Kildare teams last evening.

The minor lads beat Longford away in Pearse Park by 1-9 to 0-3.

Kildare led by 0-4 to 0-2 at half time

Kildare’s goal came 4 minutes into the 2nd half by Jack McCabe.  Longford scored only one 2nd half point.

In Raheens GAA,  the minor ladies beat Longford by 3-14 to 1-7. Kildare led at half time by 1-6 to 0-6.

Kildare goals by Niamh Farrelly in the first half and by Sian Gallagher and  Niamh Farrelly again in the 2nd half.

Four more Kildare teams in action over the weekend:

On Sunday the senior women play Clare in the Lidl League Division 3 football final in Parnell Park at 4pm. Kfm will have full commentary with Ger McNally & former Kildare captain Aisling Holton.

The senior hurlers Joe McDonagh game vs Offaly has been confirmed for Hawkfield at 2pm on Sunday: live coverage on Kfm.

Before that game, Kfm will broadcast live, at 1.10pm,  the Draw for this year's Senior Hurling Championship.

This Saturday, at 12 noon. Kildare minor hurlers play Laois in Clane; and at 2pm, Kildare U20 hurlers play Carlow in Netwatch Cullne Park - Kfm will have live updates of that game

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Dublin GAA CEO John Costello is to step down from his role with the Dubs in October

It brings an end to a 29-year reign which saw him oversee the most successful spell in the county's GAA history.

He began working with Dublin GAA in 1994

He oversaw the implementation of the the county's 'Blue Wave’ strategic review in 2011, which laid the foundation for a period of domination in the All-Ireland senior football championship.

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Manchester United play Sevilla in Old Trafford tonight for a Europa League quarter final first leg tie at 8pm.

Marcus Rashford will miss the game with a muscle injury.

West Ham United are away to Gent in the Conference League quarter final first leg in Belgium at 5.45pm

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Ireland head coach Greg McWilliams will name his team shortly for Saturday's Women's Six Nations game away to Italy.

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Shane Lowry and Seamus Power represent Irish interest in the RBC Heritage tournament on the PGA Tour in South Carolina.

Lowry has just teed off; Power tees off at 1.40pm.

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Ante-post favourite Corach Rambler heads a full field of 40 for Saturday's Randox Grand National at Aintree.

Jockey Derek Fox and trainer Lucinda Russell bid for a second National success following One For Arthur's victory in 2017.

Nex up is Delta Work - one of six contenders for trainer Gordon Elliott. He, also, has the Davy Russell-ridden Galvin, Fury Road, Coko Beach, Escaria Ten and Dunboyne.

Last year's winn Noble Yeats defends his title for Emmet Mullins, with Sean Bowen aboard.

Willie Mullins' five-strong strong team is headed by Gaillard Du Mesnil, Capodanno, Mr Incredible, Carefully Selected and Recite A Prayer.

Paul Townend has opted to ride Gaillard Du Mesnil.

Other Irish making the final field are Any Second Now, The Big Dog, Longhouse Poet, Lifetime Ambition and Vanillier.

.It's day one of the Grand National meeting at Aintree.

There are four Grade One contests, including the Aintree Hurdle, in which Cheltenham winner 'Constitution Hill' defends his unbeaten record.

'A Plus Tard' and 'Conflated' represent Irish interest in the Bowl Chase.

The going is good to soft for the first of seven races at 1.45.

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The draw has been made for this weekend's World Snooker Championship in Sheffield.

Seven time champion Ronnie O'Sullivan will play China's Pang Junxu in the first round.  The winner will play Ding Junhui (pr: Jun-whey) in the second round.

Antrim's Mark Allen is drawn against Chinese player - Fan Zhengyi

The tournament begins at the Crucible on Saturday.