Much of Steve Staunton's first three weeks as Ireland manager have been spent steeling himself for Thursday's meeting with his Group Four counterparts at which the fixtures for the Euro 2008 qualifying group will be organised.

Indications are that he will attempt to link the away matches against the Czech Republic and Slovakia into the same trip, with one match on a Saturday and another the following Wednesday. He will also try to have the games home and away against Wales played within four days of each other.

There is no indication yet of any preference as to what the first game to be played in Croke Park will be, although the FAI are adamant that the emphasis will be on what's best for Staunton's side in a competitive sense.

The date for the first game against Cyprus will be early October.

SELECTION STILL A DOUBT FOR O'SULLIVAN

Sonia O'Sullivan faces an anxious wait before learning if she will represent Australia in the Commonwealth Games next month.

Yesterday, O'Sullivan "nished second in a tension"lled 5,000 metres at the Australian Trials at Olympic Park in Sydney.

She did so with a time of 15 minutes 44.24 seconds, just inside the minimum B qualifying standard. The team will be named on Tuesday morning.

BROWNE MISSES THE CUT IN GUATEMALA

Stephen Browne . . . Ireland's sole representative at the European Challenge Tour's Abierto Movistar de Guatemala . . . posted a level par 72 in the second round of the Hacienda Nueva Country Club but missed the halfway cut in his first Challenge Tour performance of the year.

FIJI TAKE SECOND SEVENS TITLE IN A ROW

Waisale Serevi's Fiji held off a fine comeback by South Africa to capture their second successive IRB Sevens title, the AXA New Zealand International Sevens.

The 27-22 win leaves Fiji on 56 points, 16 clear of England and South Africa, their closest rivals in the IRB Sevens standings.

McCULLOUGH'S BAN FROM BOXING LIFTED

Former world champion Wayne McCullough will seek to restore his boxing license after overturning a temporary ban. McCullough had been ordered to undergo a battery of tests after being stopped by Oscar Larios in the 10th round of their 15 July WBC title fight.

"My health is my top priority. I know what the risks are, but I'm healthy and I'm still able to do this, " he said.

HIBS KNOCK RANGERS OUT OF SCOTTISH CUP

Rangers were sent crashing out of the Scottish Cup by Hibernian as their last hope of silverware this season all but vanished.

Goals from Garry O'Connor, Ivan Sproule and new signing Chris Killen allowed Hibs to book their place in the quarter-finals following a convincing show at Ibrox. Rangers must now claw their way back into the Premier League title race to avoid a barren season after being dumped out of both cup competitions.

CHELTENHAM LOSES ANOTHER CONTENDER

The Smurfit Champion Hurdle lost another leading contender yesterday morning when Lingo had to be put down after breaking a leg on the gallops.

The Jonjo O'Neill-trained seven-year-old suffered the injury between the hoof and the joint on a hind leg.

With Harchibald already ruled out for the season, Brave Inca, who is now expected to be the mount of Tony McCoy at Cheltenham on 14 March, has shortened to 13-8 favourite.

JARLATH'S KNOCKED OUT OF CUP BY MARY'S

St Jarlath's from Tuam were sent packing from the Connacht Colleges senior football title race when they were defeated by reigning champions St Mary's by 3-12 to 2-7 at Tuam Stadium yesterday. Star of the show for the Galway city school was county minor Eddie Hoare who scored 2-3 from mid"eld.