Stephen Kenny has brushed off speculation over his future as Republic of Ireland manager amid a tide of criticism in the wake of a disastrous start to the Euro 2024 qualifying campaign.

Kenny woke on Sunday morning to reports he could be replaced following Friday night’s 2-1 defeat in Greece, which left his side without a point from the first two fixtures and with their hopes of making it to the finals fast receding.

However, despite seeing England Under-21s manager and former Ireland international Lee Carsley, Ghana boss Chris Hughton and Sam Allardyce linked with his job, Kenny remained bullish ahead of Monday night’s must-win fixture against lowly Gibraltar.

Asked if he expected to be in charge for the remainder of the campaign, he said: “Yes, I definitely do. My contract is up to the end of the campaign and whether it’s renewed will depend on how people feel the campaign went overall, but certainly I fully expect to be.

“We want a positive result tomorrow and that’s firmly what I’m focused on.”

Anything other than a win over Gibraltar, ranked 201st by world governing body FIFA, some 152 places below Ireland, would simply fuel the fires of those who want a change of manager.

Asked if anything less was unthinkable, Kenny replied: “In terms of European Championship qualification, yes, it is, yes.”

It is not the first time during the three years since he replaced Mick McCarthy at the helm that Kenny has found himself in the firing line, and that clamour would increase significantly if his team did not come out on top – and handsomely so – on Monday evening.

His background, unlike recent predecessors Giovanni Trapattoni, Martin O’Neill and McCarthy, is largely in the League of Ireland, and the success or otherwise of his attempts to play an enterprising brand of football has been a topic for debate throughout.

Asked how he maintains his optimism in the face of such a backlash, Kenny said: “It’s irrelevant, to be honest, it’s irrelevant, I just really focus on developing the team and preparing the team for tomorrow.

“There is a lot of criticism, some of it justified, and I have to accept that. Likewise some of it inaccurate, that’s the nature of it. From my point of view, I’m not fixated with it. I’m just firmly focused on what we have to do and just focused on the task at hand, which is managing this group of players.

“We’re not perfect, but I really believe in the players. I know people have other viewpoints, but I believe in the players.

“We wanted to win against Greece, we didn’t win. That’s a reality. If we had won the other night against Greece, everything would have been on track, we’d have been going into the Gibraltar game with everything great.

“Now because we didn’t, it’s a catastrophe, and I do get that, but we’ve got to focus on tomorrow and Gibraltar, make sure we are ready.”

Kenny has no fresh injuries, but has indicated he will make changes, one of which will see Wigan midfielder James McClean wear the captain’s armband as he wins his 100th cap.

The scuffling New York Mets received a big boost Sunday as slugger Pete Alonso came off the injured list less than two weeks after being diagnosed with a left wrist sprain and bone bruise.

Alonso sustained the injury on a hit by pitch at the Atlanta Braves on June 7 and was expected to be out for at least three-to-four weeks.

Instead, he is in the lineup Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Alonso enters Sunday’s action leading the National League with 22 home runs while ranking second with 49 RBIs in 62 games.

The Mets are in fourth place in the NL East with a 33-37 record after increasing their spending this past offseason to a luxury tax payroll record of roughly $430 million.

Nostrum could return to action in the Edmondson Hall Solicitors Sir Henry Cecil Stakes during Newmarket’s July Festival.

Sir Michael Stoute’s talented colt was unbeaten in his first two starts as a juvenile, including when impressing in the Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket in September, and was last seen finishing third to fellow Juddmonte-owned 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean in the Dewhurst last autumn.

He was likely to return with Classic aspirations in the early part of the season, but any hope of that was scuppered when meeting with a setback in the spring, and having lost the race to be fit in time for a Royal Ascot run, connections are now pencilling in the Listed event Baaeed won in 2021 on July 13 for the Kingman colt’s comeback.

“He’s in good nick and is getting close,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte.

“A loose plan is that he will run in the Henry Cecil at Newmarket’s July Meeting. It’s the one-mile Listed race that Baaeed won a couple of years ago.

“We were probably about two weeks short of being ready for Ascot and Sir Michael said let’s take our time and start off slow. So that looks like the plan as long as everything continues to go OK between now and then.”

Although unable to make an appearance in either the Classics or at Ascot’s summer showpiece, Mahon believes there is plenty to still look forward to and is backing Nostrum to make his mark in the second half of the season.

He continued: “It’s not the be-all and end-all (missing the start of the season). If you are a Group One horse then there are plenty of races in the second half of the season and even next season if he is a Group One horse, he’ll be able to showcase his talent.

“From a commercial point of view, you would love to be there for the Guineas and Ascot etc but I suppose you have to remember that with Chaldean as well, we would probably have been trying to keep them apart anyway.”

Rob Page has defended Wales’ dismal record over the past 12 months by insisting his side are a team in transition.

Page signed a four-year contract in September but has come under increasing pressure after a dreadful run of one win in 11 games since qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.

Wales fans’ frustration came to a head in Friday’s shock 4-2 defeat to Armenia, opponents ranked 97th in the world, as hopes of qualifying for next summer’s Euro 2024 finals in Germany were seriously damaged.

“We had a group meeting (on Saturday) and addressed what needed to be said,” Page said ahead of Monday’s crunch qualifier against Turkey in Samsun.

“We’ve put it to bed and full focus is on the challenge here and we’ll all be ready for it.

“What I want is a reaction from the players, and that is in the performance. If they do that the result will take care of itself.

“We’re a team in progression, a team in transition, so we have to remind ourselves where on the journey we are.”

Wales supporters let their anger known at the final whistle on Friday as defeat allied to Turkey’s last-gasp 3-2 win in Latvia left them off two points off the Group D leaders.

Page said disappointment was heightened by expectation after Wales’ first World Cup for 64 years in Qatar and the poor run of results were partly down to the quality of opposition they had played.

“I think the reason it was such a low moment was because of expectations we put on ourselves, because of results we’ve had and performances we’ve had,” Page said of Wales’ first European Championship home qualifying defeat for 12 years.

“There is a stat about one win in 11 games, look at the opposition we’ve been playing.

“Look at the standard of teams in the Nations League.

“If we were playing England, Netherlands or Belgium six or seven years ago it might have been more than the close games we lost in the 95th minute.

“We showed our potential in March. We are still a young group so there are going to be inconsistencies.

“There are going to be bumps along the way. Friday was a massive bump, but now we stick together as a group.”

Skipper Aaron Ramsey insists Wales can turn their fortunes around with the Turkey clash representing the halfway point of the qualifying campaign.

“I believe in this team, I am confident,” said Ramsey.

“We have a good opportunity to get back on track and hopefully concentrate on performance and hopefully the rest will take care of itself.

“We are in a decent position. If we can take full advantage of tomorrow night we will be back in this group.”

Vice-captain Ben Davies has not travelled to Samsun as the Tottenham defender has stayed at home for the birth of his first child.

Kieffer Moore also misses out after being sent off in the closing stages against Armenia.

Gareth Southgate advised players not to be stressed by summer transfer talk after joking the England squad have been “tapping each other up” throughout this camp.

This mammoth, unprecedented season finally comes to a close with Monday’s Euro 2024 qualifier against North Macedonia at a sold-out Old Trafford.

England won 4-0 in Malta on Friday and are expected to take another step towards next summer’s tournament by winning a Group C clash played out against a backdrop of transfer talk.

Harry Kane, Declan Rice and Kyle Walker are subject of summer interest, while Harry Maguire, Conor Gallagher and Kalvin Phillips have decisions to make over their lack of game time at club level.

There is also speculation about Jordan Pickford and James Maddison, but Southgate has not felt the need to speak to players about it – even though the former defender does have some advice.

“I haven’t felt the need to say anything,” Southgate said. “I mean, the players are tapping each other up anyway on the quiet, so I can’t do anything about that!

“What I have said is that these things run their course, they happen in their own time, you can’t force it as a player.

“Don’t get frustrated, don’t be asking all summer. You don’t need to be updated on every call that happens.

“There’s a lot of negotiation that goes on. I remember as a player getting too wrapped up in every detail of that.

“In the end, there’s only a small amount that you can actually control.

“I think all of those things will happen later on in the summer and I think the players understand that, really.

“And they know the focus for the next 36 hours is this game, finishing the season well, making sure we’re set on 12 points and we’ll be in a very healthy position if we do that.”

Southgate was speaking alongside left-back Luke Shaw at Sunday’s pre-match press conference and the defender smiled when “tapping up” was mentioned.

England are training at Manchester United’s Carrington base and the 27-year-old posted an Instagram story on Saturday showing pictures of him next to Kane and another with Rice.

The Old Trafford giants have a longstanding interest in both, and Shaw tagged them in the post with the caption “Carrington tour” and an eyes emoji.

Asked who he has been tapping up, Shaw said with a laugh: “There’s a few.”

When Mason Mount, another United are interested in, was mentioned to him, Shaw said: “Obviously he’s not here but I think it is all just a bit of banter, really.

“Obviously we have a joke and a laugh about it, not too sure what goes on behind the scenes.

“It’s to do with the club, really, but of course when we are here we are always together and we have a joke about it.

“I don’t really know too much what is going on. That’s just it really.”

Shaw looks set to start on Monday as Old Trafford hosts the national men’s team for the first time since 2007.

England also played there the previous year against Macedonia – a drab 0-0 draw in what proved to be a failed Euro 2008 qualification campaign.

They drew 2-2 in their only other home meeting against the Balkan nation, who Southgate is not taking lightly as he looks to make it third time lucky.

“They should have won the other night against Ukraine really,” the England boss said. “So we know the quality of some of the individual players.

“They have got some players playing at big European clubs. As a team they function well.

“They obviously knocked Italy out of the last World Cup and pushed Portugal close in those knockout games. So, they have got pedigree.

“They bring the game to you a bit more than perhaps we had the other night as well.

“So, it isn’t just a case of rolling on from Friday, it is a step up in intensity and quality and we’ve got to be right on our game to win the match.”

Italy beat the Netherlands 3-2 in the Nations League third-place play-off in Enschede.

Roberto Mancini’s side, who sealed Nations League bronze for the second tournament running, made a flying start as Federico Dimarco and Davide Frattesi put them 2-0 up in 20 minutes.

Steven Bergwijn reduced the deficit for the Netherlands midway through the second half, but Federico Chiesa struck Italy’s third four minutes later.

Georginio Wijnaldum ensured a nervy finale with the Netherlands’ second goal in the 89th minute, but it was not enough to prevent a third defeat in four games under boss Ronald Koeman, in his second stint in charge.

Croatia face Spain in the final at Feyenoord’s De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam at 1945 on Sunday.

The Republic of Ireland host Gibraltar on Monday evening knowing nothing but victory is acceptable after a disappointing start to their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign.

Friday night’s 2-1 defeat in Greece left Ireland pointless in Group B after two fixtures and seriously dented their hopes of making it to the finals.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some of the talking points surrounding a must-win game.

Kenny cornered?

Ireland boss Stephen Kenny once again finds himself at a crossroads three years into his reign. The 51-year-old’s 23 competitive matches in charge to date have yielded just four victories – against Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, Scotland and Armenia – and a campaign towards which he has been building since replacing Mick McCarthy looks to have slipped from his grasp already. He has set great store by introducing youthful talent to his the squad and playing a progressive brand of football, but wins have largely eluded him and the Republic were dismantled by a slick Greece outfit ranked three places below them by FIFA.

The case for the defence

Successive Republic managers have built their teams on solid defensive foundations which made them difficult to beat. But they can no longer rely on the likes of Richard Dunne, John O’Shea and Shane Duffy and with Seamus Coleman injured and Dara O’Shea short of football, Kenny handed John Egan, Nathan Collins and Darragh Lenihan the task of keeping the Greeks out with support from wing-backs Matt Doherty and Callum O’Dowda. However, midfielder schemers Tasos Bakasetas and Giorgos Masouras combined with striker Vangelis Pavlidis provided a tough test. They will hope for a quieter evening against Gibraltar.

The middle ground

Burnley’s Josh Cullen has been hugely impressive in his country’s midfield engine room for much of his international career, while Kenny’s former Under-21s skipper Jayson Molumby has brought energy and bite to the midfield and Will Smallbone shone on his debut against Latvia in March. However, they were overrun at the OPAP Arena with Cullen and Molumby unable to provide the security for Smallbone to link with the frontmen. Kenny is likely to shuffle his pack on Monday evening in the search for greater invention, and that could mean roles for Jason Knight and Mikey Johnston.

Seventh heaven for McClean?

James McClean will become the seventh man after Robbie Keane, Shay Given, John O’Shea, Kevin Kilbane, Steve Staunton and Damien Duff, to win 100 caps for the Republic of Ireland and will wear the captain’s armband as a result. The 34-year-old igan midfielder made his debut as a substitute against the Czech Republic in February 2012 and is a veteran of the Euro 2012 and 2016 finals. He has contributed important goals along the way, in particular World Cup qualifier winners in both Austria and Wales.

Roaring forties

Gibraltar manager Jose Ribas has worked hard to bring a new generation of players through in his five years at the helm – 18-year-old midfielder Nicholas Pozo is a good example – but is still able to call upon vast experience. The team which started Friday night’s 3-0 home defeat by France included 40-year-old defender Roy Chipolina and 41-year-old striker Lee Casciaro.

Katie Boulter reflected on a “special” moment as she won her first WTA Tour title at her home tournament in Nottingham.

Boulter beat Jodie Burrage 6-3 6-3 in the first all-British final at this level since 1977 to cement her position as British number one and surge up to a career-high 77 in the rankings.

The 26-year-old has travelled from her Leicestershire home to the Nottingham tennis centre since she was four years old, so to win here makes it extra special.

“I actually found some photos of me at the beginning of the week where I was training here as a ‘tiny topper’ and I looked so happy and like I was having the time of my life,” she said.

“I tried to remind myself before the final that that little girl still loves playing tennis and just enjoys every single moment she is out on court. I am very proud of myself to be in that position, whatever happened.

“I have so many special feelings, I am staying at home, mum’s cooking makes all the difference. It does feel very special because it is my home tournament.

“I dreamed of this moment, to win this tournament, as a little girl when I was four years old.

“Having come here as a fan and now as a player and somehow finding a way to win it means more than everything to me.”

Victory completed a British double as Andy Murray won the men’s Challenger Tour event.

Despite defeat, it was also a breakout week for Burrage in reaching her first final, and with three Britons making the last four, it was a strong response to criticism for the lack of British women in the French Open singles last month.

Indeed, it is their best showing in a tournament since Virginia Wade and Sue Barker were at the top of the women’s game in the 1970s.

And Boulter, who said she will celebrate with a meal out at the pub, hopes this can be just the beginning for her.

“I’m at a career high and really happy but not content and have a long way to go,” she said. “My aim is not to be top 100, it’s to be 50, 40, 30 and ever since I broke through the first time I believed I had the game to become that player and that will always be my main focus.

“Hopefully I can find some consistency and make this week in, week out. My challenge is to find consistency and I’m proud to have brought that every week.

“I played lights-out today and went for the title, wanted that trophy, and told myself I had to back myself to win it.

“I will be sleeping with my trophy tonight and it’s nice to have some reward that I can look back on. Next week will be about resetting and I will be ready for Birmingham – that’s my job.”

Burrage has had some long matches this week and after a recent injury said she was “hanging by a thread” physically, but she is also taking the positives.

“A bit gutted today, a tough, tough match, Boults played absolutely incredibly so credit to her, for me this has been such a positive week,” she said.

“I have beaten some really good players, proved some things to myself, so I will only take the positives.

“I will take positives from this and confidence from it and hopefully play some good tennis in the coming months.”

England lost both openers under dark skies at Edgbaston as Australia seized the initiative on day three of a gripping first Ashes Test.

England lost Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley in consecutive overs in desperately difficult batting conditions in a mini afternoon session slotted awkwardly between two heavy rain showers.

That left the home side 28 for two, a fragile lead of 35 with everything still to play for.

The hosts had rallied impressively with the ball in the morning session, taking the last five Australian wickets for 75 runs to eke out the narrowest of seven-run leads.

Their openers then added another 26 after lunch in untroubled fashion, only for everything to change in dramatic circumstances after a 75-minute rain delay in the afternoon.

The teams came back out under thick black clouds at 3.30pm, with the floodlights cranked up and batting conditions suddenly the most precarious of the match.

Only 22 deliveries were possible before an almighty downpour, with England losing two wickets for just two runs as the Dukes ball came alive in fading light. Duckett (19) fenced at one that wobbled in the air and straightened up off the pitch from Pat Cummins, with Cameron Green pulling off the latest in a long line of outstanding catches in the gully.

Crawley (seven) then followed in the next over, Scott Boland capping an outstanding burst from the Birmingham End by finally to taking a thin nick after multiple close calls. There were half a dozen loud appeals in addition to that crucial double strike, with each batter seemingly clinging on in trying circumstances.

When the rain did come it was a sweet relief for Ollie Pope and Joe Root, surely sparing England further losses.

The day began with Australia on 311 for five, still 82 behind but seemingly well set with half their wickets in hand and two set batters at the crease. England needed early breakthroughs to nudge themselves back in front and James Anderson almost delivered one when he took Alex Carey’s inside edge with his fourth delivery of the morning.

Anderson had already started to celebrate as Jonny Bairstow tumbled low to his right but watched in dismay as the ball squirmed free from the wicketkeeper’s glove.

It was a painful start for Bairstow, who already had a missed stumping against Cameron Green and another dropped catch off Carey on his ledger, and his frustration was plain to see.

Anderson continued to cause the left-hander problems and got him after 20 minutes, forcing one through Carey’s defences from round the wicket and trimming the bails with precision.

Moeen Ali started up at the other end, fresh from receiving a fine from the ICC for using an unauthorised drying agent on his hands during Saturday’s play. If that was an unwanted present on the spinner’s 36th birthday, then things did not get a lot better as he worked through his spell.

A return to first-class cricket after almost two years in retirement has clearly caused some damage to the all-rounder’s spinning finger – hence use of spray which caught the match referee’s attention.

He got away with one loopy full toss but could not stop Cummins launching him for a couple of sixes as he struggled to get any purchase on the ball.

Ben Stokes began to set some highly unusual fields in a bid to knock Australia off their stride and it seemed to work when Robinson uprooted Khawaja’s off stump for 141.

With a ring of catchers stationed in front of square on both sides of the wicket, the centurion tried to manufacture a blow through the covers and ended up mis-reading a precision yorker.

The tail was knocked over with efficiency after that, Lyon pulling Robinson straight to deep square-leg, Boland backing away and popping Stuart Broad to silly point and Cummins holing out off another short ball.

Lou Williams, a three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year award winner and the most prolific bench scorer in NBA history, announced his retirement Sunday.

Williams spent 17 seasons in the league, with the last coming in 2021-22 when he played for the Atlanta Hawks. He appeared in 1,123 games and started just 122 times.

Williams scored 13,396 of his 15,593 points as a reserve, the most points off the bench in NBA history ahead of Jamal Crawford (11,279).

Williams and Crawford are the only players in league history to win the Sixth Man of the Year award three times.

Williams was a second-round pick of the Philadelphia 76ers in 2005 (45th overall) after going straight to the NBA from high school.

He also played for the Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers.

Blue Rose Cen stormed to her second Classic of the year when landing the Prix de Diane Longines in imperious fashion at Chantilly.

Christopher Head’s stable star had already taken the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches in impressive style at ParisLongchamp last month and having conquered all before her at a mile, was even better on her first attempt at 10 furlongs.

With stablemate Wise Girl setting the fractions on the front end, big-race pilot Aurelien Lemaitre had the daughter of Churchill positioned handily tracking the pace along with French Guineas runner-up Lindy and the previously unbeaten Pensee Du Jour.

However, there was only one winner once the contest entered the business end and upon straightening for home, Lemaitre pushed the button to an almost instantaneous response from his mount, shooting clear of her pursuers and keeping on powerfully to register a clear-cut triumph.

Aidan O’Brien’s Never Ending Story picked up the silver medal with Francis-Henri Graffard’s Tasmania keeping on for third, but the day belonged to Blue Rose Cen who was handed a quote of 12-1 by Coral to tackle an extra two furlongs in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October.

She also becomes first filly since Jean-Claude Rouget’s La Cressonniere in 2016 to do the French Guineas/Oaks double and she now joins the likes of Zarkava, Divine Proportions and Allez France to win all three of the Prix Marcel Boussac, Poule d’Essai des Pouliches and Prix de Diane.

Andy Murray was given the best Father’s Day present after being surprised by his children following his title win at the Rothesay Nottingham Open.

Murray continued his excellent preparation for Wimbledon with a second successive title as he beat Frenchman Arthur Cazaux 6-4 6-4 in the Challenger Tour event to make it 10 wins in a row after also triumphing at Surbiton last week.

The former world number one was hoping to make a quick dash down the M1 to be home in time to see his four children before they went to bed, but was given a nice surprise as his wife Kim and Sophia, Edie, Teddy and Lola made their presence known during the trophy presentation.

Despite their effort to travel to Nottingham to see their dad win a 10th career grass court title, Murray revealed they were actually more interested in going to McDonald’s.

“To be honest, after I had the kids I was motivated to keep playing so they could watch me when I was older, but they are not really that interested,” Murray said.

“I thought they might be but they’re not. It is really nice for them to come, I have loved having them come and watch today, but I realise for them, they are more interested in other things.

“But it was still nice because they haven’t been to Wimbledon, they came to Queen’s when I played doubles there, but they haven’t been around it at all. They are more interested in when we are going to McDonalds after the match.

“I didn’t know they were coming. I was obviously hoping with the early start I would get down the road this evening, I had no idea they were coming.

“They showed up last week, we live quite close to Surbiton, and after I won the first set they decided to come and try and see the end. As they arrived it started raining, they hung around for a couple of hours but then it started getting close to bedtime so they went and as they got home I got back on court.

“They obviously decided to make the effort to come down here and thankfully I managed to win.”

A 10th win in a row renewed hope that Murray will be able to have a good run at Wimbledon, which starts in a fortnight.

This is his best sequence of results since 2017, when he still topped the world rankings and was not playing with a metal hip.

And he will now head to his favourite stomping ground at Queen’s, where a run to the quarter-finals could see him improve his ranking enough to be seeded at SW19.

He made it through the week at Nottingham without dropping a set, but it was a second-tier Challenger event so he will receive a truer test of where his game is at next week, with world number one Carlos Alcaraz and number two Holger Rune among others in the draw.

However, on the evidence of his movement, serving and match play this week, Murray looks a good bet to enjoy his best run at Wimbledon since he hobbled out of the 2017 quarter-finals with the hip injury that derailed his career.

Winning the Nottingham Open may not have the prestige of his previous successes, but they are still special to Murray.

“I love winning tournaments. Since all of the injury issues that has been a bit tougher for me,” he said. “All of these trophies I have won since the operation, they mean a lot to me.

“I’m not saying it’s the same as winning at Wimbledon, but I know how hard it is what I’m doing right now, I know how hard I’m working to getting back to trying to win tournaments and they still mean a lot to me.”