We’ll Leave It There So: Ireland prepare for crunch Euro clash, Zlatan to call it a day and all today’s sport

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Ireland fans enjoying themselves in Lille ahead of tomorrow’s decisive Euro 2016 game against Italy. Source: James Crombie/INPHO

Martin O’Neill says his side will draw inspiration for tomorrow night from last October’s 1-0 defeat of world champions Germany.Ireland’s former assistant manager Marco Tardelli has said that Irish players lack footballing intellect and struggle with game management.Eight of the Ireland U20 rugby squad have been recruited to the Leinster academy.Northern Ireland‘s hopes of reaching the knock-out stages remain alive despite a 1-0 defeat to Germany in Paris.Former Irish underage international and Reading academy manager Eamonn Dolan has died at the age of 48.St Patrick’s Athletic have been forced to rearrange their travel plans after Uefa abruptly changed the date of their Europa League second leg fixture against AS Jeunesse Esch.Tyrone defender Cathal McCarron is set to release a book on his addiction and personal life later in the year.Donegal manager Rory Gallagher is planning without Neil McGee despite the ongoing appeal process ahead of this weekend’s Ulster semi-final.Away

Northern Ireland’s Michael McGovern in action against Germany’s Mario Gotze. Source: Presseye/William Cherry/INPHO

Zlatan Ibrahimovic announced that he will retire from International duty after Euro 2016.Russian athletes will be allowed to compete at the Olympics, but they’ll have to pass individual tests first to prove that they’re clean.David Beckham has said that Roy Keane is one of the reasons he is on the Remain side of Thursday’s Brexit referendum.Georges St-Pierre announced that he will make his UFC comeback after a three-year break.

Where we were today

Ben Blake and Paul Fennessy are in Lille ahead of Ireland’s crunch Euro 2016 final Group E clash with Italy tomorrow evening. Fintan O’Toole was at the #GAAThisIsMajor launch in Croke Park, and Ryan Bailey caught up with Olympic triathletes Bryan Keane and Aileen Reid.

Aileen Keane and Bryan Reid. Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO

The best thing we shared

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If only….

On the record

“We should have maintained the same level of meticulous preparation and competitive mindset that we had become accustomed to. We won’t be tucking into desserts, driving around in flashy cars and fucking about. Well, maybe there will still be nice cars, but anything that negatively impacts our usual level of preparation will be knocked on the head.

We published the exclusive first extract of John Kavanagh’s autobiography ‘Win or Learn’, which was co-authored by The42‘s own Paul Dollery.

The fixture listThe final Euro 2016 group games are upon us: Iceland v Austria (5pm), Hungary v Portugal (5pm), Sweden v Belgium (8pm) and of course, the big one, Ireland v Italy (8pm).Meanwhile, the Copa America semi-final between USA and Argentina kicks off at 2am Irish time.And on home soil, Carlow face Offaly in the Leinster U21HC semi-final (7.30pm).Showbiz, baby!

Dimitri Payet scored this impressive goal in a training game against Paris FC’s Under 19 side on Monday.