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Early Doors

The Morning Score: Monday

The Irish provinces learn their European opponents, Tyrone welcome back their coach and the pressure mounts on Sky’s presenters.

1. #HEINEKEN CUP As the pools wrapped up this weekend, Leinster and Ulster learned who they’ll face in the quarter-final stage.

Both remaining Irish provinces will meet English opposition in the last eight. Leinster will host Leicester while Ulster must travel to top-seeded Northampton.

Leinster, who topped their group, will welcome the Tigers to the Aviva Stadium possibly. Ulster, meanwhile, will travel to England to face Northampton Saints.

Off-Broadway, Munster will travel to Stade Amédée-Domenech to face Brive in the quarter-finals of the Amlin Challenge Cup after their defeat of London Irish in Limerick.

2. #TYRONE Mickey Harte yesterday returned to the sidelines less than a week after his daughter Michaela’s funeral.

The Red Hand scored a 1-13 to 0-13 Dr McKenna Cup win over Donegal at Edendork, before Harte took the opportunity to thank those who offered support over the past fortnight.

3. #NFL Well we now know who’ll line out in the Superbowl in two weeks’ time.

Last night the Green Bay Packers beat out divisional rivals the Chicago Bears on a score of 21-14 at Soldier Field.

Later on last night the Pittsburgh Steelers held off the New York Jets, 24-19, to book their ticket to Dallas. Catch up on the action at NFL.com.

4. #AUSTRALIAN OPEN Andy Murray cruised into the last eight at Melbourne earlier as he dismantled No 11 seed Jurgen Melzer, 6-3 6-1 6-1 in just 104 minutes of one-sided combat.

Roger Federer made harder work of his tie, while Rafa Nadal is on court at the moment.

5. #BOYS IN GREEN Giovanni Trapattoni will today name his squad for the Carling Cup clash with Wales next month.

James McCarthy may be in line for a nod as he made a return to the Wigan squad on Saturday. Others like Greg Cunningham and Ciaran Clark can also expect a call from Abbotstown.

6. #EASTERN PROMISE Germany’s Martin Kaymer started as he means to go on, winning his third successive Abu Dhabi Championship title yesterday shooting a final round six-under par 66 for a total of 264.

The German and Lee Westwood are now one and two in the rankings.

7. #CHELTENHAM? Hurricane Fly is looking pretty good isn’t he?. He won yesterday’s BHP Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown.

8. #GOOD NEWS Catherine Wayland sealed silver for Ireland on the opening day of the Paralympic Athletics World Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand, when finishing second in the F51 discus with a throw of 13.56 metres.

9. #PREMIER LEAGUE In yesterday’s only top-flight game in England yesterday, Blackburn took the three points on offer against West Brom at Ewood Park.

Plenty of us tuned in at 3.30pm however, expecting Sky presenters Andy Gray and Richard Keys to apologise for an off-camera conversation that was leaked to the Mail on Sunday, in which they criticised a female referee’s assistant.

They failed to say sorry – but there will be pressure on the pair to do so during their Monday Night Football show tonight.

Keys made a typically brazen start to yesterday’s broadcast.

H/T Dangerhere