Tyrone are the first heavyweight casualties of the 2020 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, after they were beaten 1-13 to 1-11 on a wild, wet afternoon in Ballybofey yesterday. Keith Duggan was there to witness the great rivals battle each other and the elements on, "a day for mad dogs and Ulster men." Donegal will now meet Armagh in the provincial semis after they beat Derry 0-17 to 0-15. Among the day's other football results, Mayo will meet Roscommon in the Connacht semi-finals following their regulation 2-15 to 0-10 win over Leitrim, while Tipperary beat Clare 2-11 to 1-11 to reach the last four in Munster. Elsewhere, defending All-Ireland hurling champions Tipperary will be in this morning's draw for the first round of the qualifiers (8.30am), after they were beaten 3-23 to 2-17 by 2018 winners Limerick on a filthy afternoon at Pairc Uí Chaoimh. And in his column this morning, Nicky English has suggested that yesterday's win proves Limerick are the side to beat in this year's winter championship. He writes: "Really, after the weekend I can see only Galway of the others threatening Limerick. None of the teams are out of the championship yet but Limerick are clear favourites."
Arsenal secured their first league victory at Old Trafford since 2006 yesterday, as they ran out 1-0 winners against a poor Manchester United side thanks to a second-half Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang penalty. The defeat leaves Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side with just one point from four home matches so far this season, and the Norwegian afterwards admitted his side "weren't at the races." Elsewhere Tottenham Hostpur continue to build momentum under José Mourinho and they are now two points off the top after a 2-1 win at home to Brighton last night, Gareth Bale scoring the winner - his first for Spurs since returning from Real Madrid. Elsewhere Southampton were 4-3 winners at Aston Villa, while Newcastle beat Everton 2-1 at St James' Park. There are two Premier League fixtures tonight, with West Brom desperate for all three points away to Fulham (5.30pm) and Leeds welcoming Leicester to Elland Road (8pm). And in his column this morning, Ken Early has asked if the soulless nature of fixtures being played behind closed doors is taking its toll on players - particularly those at Champions League clubs.
It wasn't to be for Andy Farrell's Ireland on Saturday night, with their 35-27 loss to France in Paris handing the Six Nations title to England following their 34-5 win over Italy in Rome earlier in the day. And as Gavin Cummiskey writes this morning, a lot of Ireland's familiar problems were on show on a frustrating evening at the Stade de France: "So, Ireland stumble into the recently invented Autumn Nations Cup, seeking "easy fixes" to problems that remains unsolved since November 2018. The wonder is how Farrell, a brilliant motivational speaker yet inexperienced chief of staff, will react." Meanwhile in today's The Offload column, Gavin Cummiskey has also suggested Ireland are now in a bit of a rut: "Ireland hardly need reminding that their last substantial victory dates back to November 2018. In the meantime, England, Wales when it really mattered, England, Japan, New Zealand, England and France have had the better of them physically and strategically."
Elsewhere in the Pro14 Munster ran out 28-16 winners over the Dragons yesterday, but were unable to secure a bonus point at Rodney Parade. There are two Irish provinces in action tonight with Ulster travelling to play Cardiff (kick-off 6pm) and Leinster travelling to play Glasgow (kick-off 8.15pm).
Lewis Hamilton moved closer to a seventh FA world championship as he took the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola yesterday. Hamilton's victory also helped Mercedes secure a seventh consecutive constructors' championship.
And Dan Martin has slipped out of the podium positions in the Vuelta a España, with Hugh Carthy leapfrogging the Irish rider into third place after his Stage 12 victory on the Angliru.
