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The Morning Sports Briefing

Pre-match sparring continues, expect big changes ahead of Georgia clash, multiple retirements, GAA players say cut out the short kick outs, rugby doping concerns and the rest of your morning headlines

Roy Keane’s “distraction” won’t affect the Irish team, we’ll soon see. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Roy Keane’s “distraction” won’t affect the Irish team, we’ll soon see. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Eamon Donoghue's picture
Eamon Donoghue
Fri Nov 14 2014 - 08:13

As Roy Keane continues to steal the headlines ahead of tonight's European qualifier clash with Scotland, Martin O'Neill is insistent that his players will not be affected by the ongoing sideshow.

As the Scottish camp insist that Celtic Park, despite its clear Irish connections is very much Scotland Park, O'Neill says it will be "weird" heading for the away dressing room tonight.

Ahead of the weekend's other big international fixture and Gerry Thornley has made his prediction for the Irish rugby XV which he expects to line out against Georgia, and there are wholescale changes on the cards.

Expect to see a new centre pairing, Madigan getting his chance and a much changed pack.

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A knee repacement at 29

Finian Hanley wants Gaelic football to return to the good old days where the extent of his participation in a kickout would be to track the ball as it flies over his head. The Galway and Irish international rules defender says he is delighted with the rule changes which limit short kickouts within the hybrid game, and he's urging the GAA chiefs to replicate such within our home games.

The GAA world has lost two servants to retirement this week, with the Irish Independent reporting that Tyrone's multiple All-Ireland winner Martin Penrose has retired aged 30. While former Kildare footballer Brian Flanangan has also hung up his boots albeit in different circumstances. The 29-year-old is facing the prospect of a knee replacement such has been the extent of a previous cruciate ligament injury.

In Scotland

There's plenty of pre-match bravado coming from the Scottish press this morning with a midfield general of both past and present letting their views be known. In Barry Ferguson's column for the Daily Record he's hyping Gordan Strachan's team, who "have an unbelievable" chance at qualification. While Scott Brown is confident that the Celtic Park crowd will have an impact upon proceedings.

Back home though and Liam Brady isn't letting reputation blur his thoughts ahead of Ireland's team selection for tonight's game. The player turned pundit is urging O'Neill and Keane to drop record goalscorer Robbie Keane.

Also in this morning's Irish Examiner back pages Ronan O'Gara is dissecting the performance of Jonathon Sexton last week against South Africa and giving his views on the IRB World Player of the Year nominees. Or rather those who should have been on that list.

Inspiration from unyielding positivity

Former South African rugby international Joost Van der Westhuizen says that being diagnosed with motor neurone disease has allowed him to re-evaluate his life and replace the arrogance of a professional lifestyle with a desire to help others.

While also in the Telegraph the RFU are playing down an increase in positive doping tests recorded over the past year.