Soccer: Minute’s silence

A minute’s silence was held before Manchester United’s game against San Jose Earthquakes in California last night as a tribute to the six victims and seven survivors of the Berkeley balcony collapse.

The Premier League team beat the northern Californian Major League Soccer side 3-1, in their second leg of their summer tour of the US.

The minute’s silence was organised by friends of the Berkeley families as a tribute to the relatives and friends of those Irish J-1 students killed and injured in the incident in Berkeley last month.

The mark of respect was noted by the club's twitter page, before goals from Juan Mata, Memphis Depay and Andreas sealed a comfortable win for Louis van Gaal's side; "A moment's silence has just been observed for the six students who died recently when a balcony collapsed in Berkeley, California."

Meanwhile United remain heavily linked with German attacking midfielder Thomas Müller, with his Bayern Munich team mate Phillip Lahm unable to confirm to reporters yesterday whether the player intended on following Bastian Schweinsteiger to Manchester United. The club have been linked to numerous high-profile players over the course of the last two summers, but the acquisition of Schweinsteiger has added some substance to the chances of such a high profile signing such as Müller opting to leave for Old Trafford.

Champions League

More than a decade after his Bohemians side bounced back from a first leg defeat by BATE to go comfortably through, Stephen Kenny is setting the bar higher than mere qualification for the next round of the Champions League qualifiers this evening at Oriel Park where Dundalk trail the Belarusians 2-1 at the kick-off.

GAA: Championship

Kerry's James O'Donoghue admits that his side were very fortunate to even have a second chance at a Munster title against Cork last Saturday, after a very contentious penalty decision awarded to them in the drawn game was the difference between an eventual 77th provincial crown or playing Kildare in the qualifiers. While he admits the decision may have been wrong, he's insistent that players are not as influential upon referees as spectators seem to think.

“You might see something on the field, when you are in the stand, and you make something out of it in your head, which isn’t the case,” says the 2014 Footballer of the Year. “The referee might want to say to the player ‘calm down a bit there’, but then in the stand, everyone thinks the player is trying to influence the referee, or the referee’s decision. That is not the case at all, and I think it has been blown out of proportion.”

Another Kerry man, Darragh Ó Sé, is talking managers in his column this morning and how even the best managers need the right players to succeed. He's giving his view on Eamonn Fitzmaurice, Jim Gavin, Brian Cody and more.

‘The Manager and the backroom team can get them to the gates, but the sacking of a city goes to those first over the walls.’

Golf: World rankings

Rory McIlroy has topped the world rankings ever since last year's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, and there could yet be an ironic symmetry in Spieth's pursuit of the Northern Irishman as the American has the opportunity to overtake him in next month's tournament in Akron – but only if he wins!

A decision on whether McIlroy can defend his title at the Bridgestone or the following week’s US PGA is expected next week, as the golfer undergoes a rehabilitation programme on his injured ankle.

Racing: Naas

Minalisa relishes fast ground and in such conditions Brian O'Connor believes the English sprinter can maintain her excellent record in this evening's Listed feature at Naas.

Beaten just a head in the 2013 Yeomanstown Stud Stakes, Rae Guest brought Minalisa back to win the six-furlong event impressively a year ago after a relatively ordinary Salisbury warm-up. Will history repeat itself this year after a disappointing fourth place finish in Salisbury last month?

What to watch out for:

After yesterday's rest day the Tour de France is back, we're on to stage 17 now; To Pra-Loup.

TG4, 1.10pm-4.30pm

The World Matchplay darts continues in Blackpool today with Phil Taylor in action at 8.30 in his round two match-up with Andy Hamilton.

Sky Sports 1, 7pm-11.30pm