SNOOKER: Playing in his first competitive game since January, fifth seed Ronnie O’Sullivan notched up his 1,286th century break as he beat Ali Carter 10-4 in the first round of the World Championships. 

O’Sullivan will start his second-round match on Saturday afternoon against the unseeded Chinese qualifier Pang Junxu, who knocked out 12^th seeded compatriot Zhang Andu 10-7, as he attempts to win a record-breaking eighth world title. 

MEN’S FOOTBALL: Just three points separate the League of Ireland’s top six before tonight’s fixtures kick off with table-topping Drogheda travelling to face Galway who are three points off the pace in fifth. 

Second-placed St Patrick’s visit Bohemians for the Dublin City derby while across town Shamrock Rovers take on defending champions Shelbourne in the Ringsend derby and Waterford play Derry. 

Bottom-of-the-table Sligo Rovers host Cork on Saturday.

WOMEN’S CRICKET: Georgia Davis was run out on the last ball of the match as Warwickshire and Hampshire shared a tie on the opening day of the new One Day Cup competition. 

Somerset beat Surrey in another game that went down to the last ball with Fran Wilson’s unbeaten 36 steering them to a seven-wicket victory, Lancashire won by eight wickets at the Blaze and Durham cruised to a nine-wicket win over Essex.

CYCLING: World champion Tadej Pogacar attacked on the final climb of the Mur de Huy to win Wednesday’s Fleche Wallonne one-day race by 10 seconds from last year’s runner-up Kevin Vauquelin with Briton Tom Pidcock two seconds further back in third. 

Dutch rider Puck Pieterse took the women’s title after displaying climbing skills to match her beer drinking ability as she held off Demi Vollering and Elisa Longo Borghini.