Saturday sport: FA Cup quarter finals get underway, Munster face Exeter Chiefs

Eva Osborne

Soccer

The FA Cup quarter-final weekend kicks off with a heavyweight clash at the Etihad this lunchtime.

EFL Cup winners Manchester City take on Liverpool, in what will be Mo Salah's first game for the Reds since he announced his departure this summer.

Kick-off is at 12.45pm.

Chelsea will be looking to avoid a giant killing against League One Port Vale at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening.

And the Premier League leaders Arsenal go to Southampton in the late game.

A sixth win in seven games has sent St Pat's to the top of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division.

The Saints came back from going behind early on to register a 4-1 win over struggling Sligo Rovers.

Defending champions Shamrock Rovers dropped points again, after a 1-all draw at bottom side Waterford.

The scoreless draw between Drogheda United and Bohemians was overshadowed by midfielder Shane Farrell's sudden collapse on the pitch late in the game.

Manager Kevin Doherty confirmed that Farrell "seemed to be ok" after being taken to nearby Lourdes Hospital.

Newcastle defender Kieran Trippier will leave the club this summer when his contract at St James' Park expires.

The former England international joined from Atletico Madrid in 2022 and helped the club win its first trophy in 70 years in last season's EFL Cup triumph.

Trippier said it is going to be emotional to leave, as Newcastle is where he's felt "most at home" during his career.

Golf

Leona Maguire is in a tie for second at the midway point of the Aramco Championship in Nevada.

The Cavan golfer shot 71 on Friday to move up to three-under-par, five shots behind Lauren Coughlin, who sits on eight-under.

Anna Foster will resume later from four-over, with Lauren Walsh a further two shots back heading into day three.

On the PGA Tour, Séamus Power has missed the cut at the Valero Texas Open.

The Waterford golfer carded 73 yesterday to finish the week on level par, with two-under the score required to make the weekend.

Scotland's Rob MacIntyre hold a four-shot lead in San Antonio on 14-under.

Rugby

The Challenge Cup takes centre-stage for the Irish provinces on Saturday afternoon.

Munster welcome captain Tadhg Beirne back to the fold for a tricky last-16 trip to Exeter Chiefs this lunchtime.

Kick-off at Sandy Park is at 12:30pm.

Ulster welcome Ospreys to Belfast for an 8pm start.

On Friday night, Connacht booked their place in the quarter-finals with a 29-12 win over the Sharks at Dexcom Stadium.

It is the final day of the regular season in Division One A of the Energia All-Ireland League.

2024 winners, Cork Constitution, look set to miss out on the semi-finals for the first time in 11 years.

They are four points behind fourth-place Terenure ahead of facing Lansdowne at Temple Hill on Saturday afternoon.

Terenure will seal a spot in the play-offs if they win at home to second-from-bottom UCD.

Leaders Clontarf host St Mary's in a clash of the top two, Old Belvedere play Nenagh Ormond, and Ballynahinch go to Young Munster.

All of those games kick off at 2:30pm.

Racing

It is the opening day of the Fairyhouse Easter Festival, with the going yielding to soft this morning.

There are three Listed contests on the card, the Mares Handicap Chase, the Handicap Hurdle Series Final, and the Mares Flat Race.

The meeting gets underway at 2:05pm.