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MS Dhoni was spotted padding up at Chepauk on May 1, training with CSK and reuniting with former teammate Hardik Pandya. The veteran’s presence after a calf strain suggests a comeback may be near.

During the session, Pandya jokingly told Dhoni “Mahi bhai love you darling,” a moment that went viral on social media and added a dash of excitement to the CSK‑MI rivalry. fishroad-app.com

After upsetting hot favourites Donegal last week, Down have reignited an age-old rivalry when they take on Armagh in the Ulster Senior Football Championship semi-final this Sunday.

The game in Clones is expected to draw a huge crowd, but this rivalry goes much deeper than one day.

If you want to understand the origins, the best place to go is Newry where the city is is divided between the two counties – with south Down on one side and south Armagh on the other.

This is a place where people from both counties live, work and socialise together.

But because of the county-based structure of Gaelic Games, school is the only place where they play together.

Match mayhem

This year Abbey Grammar in Newry won the MacRory Cup - the Ulster senior school's championship - with a squad comprised half of Armagh players and half Down.

Ahead of Sunday's match the school held a colour day, with the playing fields a flood of red and orange, the county colours.

Daniel McKernan from Down was one of those winners, he said the build-up has "been mayhem".

"The lads are looking at each other knowing that come game time we are going to be on one side of the Hill (at Clones) and they are going to be on the other with the two counties going at it on the pitch."

His teammate Michael O'Neill is from Armagh, and, because of previous results against Donegal, he is glad not to be facing them.

"I was happy to see Down beat Donegal to be honest but I'll be against them now."

His fellow countyman Diarmaid O'Rourke was less diplomatic.

"Down have been pretty useless for the last ten years so it's good to see they're not so bad now and there can be a bit of a rivalry again."

There has been talk of joint buses of supporters travelling to Clones, but Daniel Carr from Down isn't sure about that: "I think that's probably a bad enough idea."

"But it's been a good buzz for the Down ones because we pulled off a good win (against Donegal) but it's going to be a tough challenge," he said.

While Newry is surrounded by clubs playing in the Down and Armagh Leagues, historically all clubs within the town boundary have played in Down.

That changed a decade ago when Thomas Davis GAC moved from rural Corrinshego to new grounds inside the city boundary.

According to chairman Karl Kimmins there is a growing Armagh support in the city, in part because of the county's greater success in recent years.

"I grew up in Barcroft and we had an Armagh flag and my neighbour had a Down flag," he said.

"I remember going to a game and when I got back he'd replaced my flag with his. But it's good natured.

"You have to remember that the whole of the west side of Newry is in Armagh - but it's not straightforward."

"We have players and coaches that support Down but we are an Armagh club. I think people mostly associate Newry with Down because their county ground is here – even though part of it is in Armagh."

And this comment is a particular sore point for many Down fans.

That's because although Pairc Esler sits on what's perceived to be the County Down side of the Clanrye River, official maps show that nearly three quarters of the 20,000 capacity stadium is in fact in Armagh.

This makes it the only county ground in Ireland to largely be located in the wrong county.

Further up the river the Town Hall sits on top of a bridge helpfully named The Armagh Down and on the city's main street the game is the main talking point.

Finn Rooney is a local taxi driver who lives on the County Down side of the divide in Mayobridge. His wife is from County Armagh.

"All I know is they've been queuing up at SuperValu for tickets. I was very surprised last week (when they beat Donegal) but why not?"

Ciara McAteer may have a surname synonymous with the County Down village of Ballyholland, but she said she's Armagh through and through.

"Armagh are going to hammer them. They will definitely win."

"I've got my ticket already," Colleen McDonald agreed. "I think Armagh will pull through."

But Joan Ferrick from Rostrevor is dreaming of a Down win.

"They have to do it for the Down people. They owe it to Down to win this game," she said.

No pressure.

Every once in a while, everything goes right for the University of Utah baseball team.

It hasn’t been often this season, but it was the case Friday night as Jake Long, Jet Gilliam and Blake Eckerle hit home runs as the Utes whipped the BYU Cougars 8-1 in a Big 12 Conference game.

Payton Riske allowed just four hits in five innings on the mound, and Demitri Diamant took advantage of several fine defensive plays as Utah salvaged the second game of the three-game series at Miller Park.

The final contest is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m.

Both teams need the win to improve their chances of making the upcoming Big 12 tournament, which starts May 19 in Surprise, Ariz. The league takes the top 12 of its 16 teams and both the Utes and Cougars are close to earning a bid — but want more.

Utah coach Gary Henderson was feeling much better after the Utes’ 15-hit attack Friday ended a four-game losing streak. He said it had been a while since he felt like “everything went right” for his team.

“Certainly not in league play,” he said.

Henderson was also amused that BYU scheduled fireworks immediately after the contest, which ended just as darkness fell.

“Nice of them to do that for us,” he said, smiling. “We deserved it. This was as good as we’ve played all season.”

Gilliam felt the same. He had three hits in four at-bats. The only time he got out was on a long fly ball caught by BYU’s Ryker Hurdsman on the warning track.

“I never know how it (an at-bat) is going to play out. It’s one pitch at a time,” he said.

Gilliam said this was his best game since he had a five-hit night, including two homers, against the Big 12’s first-place team, Kansas, a month ago.

He was also delighted this effort came against BYU and gave Utah its first win over the Cougars this season.

The Utes improved to 22-19 overall and 10-13 in league, which puts them in ninth place. BYU fell to 23-22 and 12-11, a little higher in the standings at seventh.

A sign of the game’s outcome was noted almost immediately when Long quieted the BYU crowd by lifting a one-out homer over the center-field fence to give Utah a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

After BYU tied it, the Utes’ Luke Jacobs and Cameron Gurney had RBIs to give Riske a 3-1 cushion.

That’s all the 5-foot-11, 160-pounder needed. He faced 21 batters – with seven strikeouts and one walk – before leaving after the fifth inning with a 5-1 lead, thanks to Gilliam’s homer in the fourth inning and run-scoring single in the fifth.

Diamant was never in trouble after that, thanks to a nice double play turned by Matt Flaherty and a running catch at the warning track by Long. Meanwhile, the Utes continued their offensive barrage against BYU hurlers Garrison Sumner and four others.

Easton Jones had two of BYU’s seven hits and the lone RBI. Crew McChesney had a double and a walk in three at-bats, and might have had another double except for Long’s play.

Ipswich Town sits second in the Championship, and a win against QPR at Portman Road on Saturday will secure promotion to the Premier League. Businesses across town have put up posters, balloons, and bunting, while local artist Louise Cobbold's player portraits have been displayed in shop windows and on the Town Hall.

Chairman Mark Ashton expressed appreciation for the community support, calling the connection between the club and town 'incredibly special.' Local businesses are preparing for large crowds, with one bar owner expecting about 200 people to fill their venue on match day.

Oh No He Didn't: Marcus Smart: "I know charges get overlooked. A lot of people don't like them...I love charges, it's demoralizing and it just shows how impactful you're going to be and that you're willing to sacrifice for the betterment of the game and for your team and to continue to do it one after another that sets the tone in itself"

Twitter

Marcus Smart:

"I know charges get overlooked. A lot of people don't like them...I love charges, it's demoralizing and it just shows how impactful you're going to be and that you're willing to sacrifice for the betterment of the game and for your team and to continue to do it one… pic.twitter.com/uoOYXUq5fc

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) May 2, 2026

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