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Early Doors

The Morning Score: Friday

Because we can’t wait for the weekend to begin either.

Every weekday morning TheScore brings you all the bitesize nuggets of sport goodness that you need by 9am. On Friday, that goes double. Let’s get our Friday on.

1. #EUROPA LEAGUE Yes, less than two months after Falcao drew the curtain on the last campaign the 2012/13 edition is on the road.

Two games took place in Dublin last night, but Bohemians and St Patricks Athletic were left frustrated as only one goal was shared betweeen the two games. Pats will be the much happier side travelling to Iceland next week. Christy Fagan’s 38th minute strike gave them a lead to cherish on their trip to Vestmannaeyjar next week.

Bohs, meanwhile, could not find a route past Thor from Iceland’s second tier, the full report is here.

2.#GLT It was a particularly enlightened day at FIFA headquarters yesterday. First, they approved goal-line technology. It will be trialled at the Club World Cup in December.

Then (presumably high on all the good feeling that had just washed over them) they went and lifted the ban on head scarves, realising they were not a root cause of football’s ills after all. Hurray for FIFA!

3.#GAA Team news is slowly coming in along the wire for this weekend’s round of crucial qualifiers and championship games. Conor Counihan has named the same 15 that felled Kerry to take the field against Clare at the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday.

Cork and Offaly have named their line-ups for qualifier action (check out the full match guide here) but the Dublin hurlers will not be giving any secrets away. They want to give Conal Keaney and Conor McCormack every chance of proving their fitness for the do-or-die meeting with Clare in Ennis.

4. I LOVE IT Ireland’s cricketers overcame a tetchy opening to secure a 59-run win over Afghanistan yesterday. Read the full report here.

5. #LANCE As USADA come knocking at his door, Lance Armstrong’s defence is growing stronger. Yesterday he claimed that he is being targetted as a personal “vendetta” by USADA chief Travis Tygart.

he also took a wry look at the circumstances surrounding the evidence given against him by other riders.

“So let me get this straight … come in and tell them exactly what they wanted to hear and you get complete immunity AND anonymity? I never got that offer,”

Who’s been busy: Sligo bolster squad with three new signings

London 2012: Introducing… Adam Nolan