McIlroy could compete for either Ireland or Great Britain at the 2016 Games. (File pic)

Padraig Harrington believes Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell should declare for Great Britain at the Olympics – in order to make room for other Irish players.

In an interview with Setanta Ireland, to air tomorrow, Harrington says “if somebody wants Rory to be as Irish as he can be, he better declare for GB”.

Golf becomes an Olympic sport in 2016, leaving McIlroy and McDowell plenty of time to make up their minds.

As Northern Irish citizens, they can both decalre for either Great Britain or Ireland.

Harrington believes the decision provides an opportunity for more Irish golfers to compete at the 2016 Games.

“I’m fascinated with all this conversation about who we declare for. If Rory and Graham declare for Great Britain, it means we get two more Irish guys into it,” Harrington tells Setanta.

“As in myself and Darren Clarke get to play. You see the system works if you’re in the top fifteen, you can have more than two from the country. So if somebody wants Rory to be as Irish as he can be, he better declare for GB and we get two more guys in.

“When it comes down to it, it will be a complete no brainer because nobody is losing out, you’re actually just gaining a couple of more spots for Irish guys,” he added.

Gatland is contending with injuries among the Welsh pack. (File pic)

Ireland v Wales
ON TV: ESPN 1.30am (AEST)

Wales coach Warren Gatland could field a team containing just eight survivors from the World Cup quarter-final win against Ireland in Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations opener.

Gatland has seen preparations for the Dublin clash badly affected by injuries.

Three members of the pack that helped brush Ireland aside in Wellington four months ago – injured trio Gethin Jenkins, Alun-Wyn Jones and Luke Charteris – will be sidelined for varying time periods during the tournament.

Hookers Matthew Rees (calf strain) and Lloyd Burns (neck) are also absent, while Gatland will confirm tomorrow whether three other players have won their fitness battles.

Gatland delayed his scheduled team announcement by 48 hours after deciding to give centre Jamie Roberts, fly-half Rhys Priestland and flanker Dan Lydiate as much recovery time as possible.

Roberts has not played since suffering a knee injury two days before Christmas, while Scarlets star Priestland went off during a Heineken Cup game in Castres last month and Lydiate has been nursing ankle trouble.

In the final shake-up, it could be that Leigh Halfpenny, George North, Jonathan Davies, Mike Phillips, Huw Bennett, Adam Jones, Sam Warburton and Toby Faletau are the only players who reappear on starting duty from Wellington.

Uncapped 21-year-old Ospreys centre Ashley Beck has emerged as a strong contender to replace Roberts, with James Hook the probable replacement for Priestland and Ryan Jones the leading candidate as Lydiate’s deputy.

Keith Earls will wear the number 13 jersey against Wales. The game starts at 1.30am AEST. (File pic)

Keith Earls will step in for an injured Brian O’Driscoll when Ireland face Wales in the first game of this year’s Six Nations campaign, on Monday morning.

Andrew Trimble will fill the left wing spot left vacant by Earls. Jonathan Sexton is preferred at outhalf over a benched Ronan O’Gara.

Conor Murray will make his first Six Nations appearance.

Declan Kidney has made few changes to the side that was knocked out of the Rugby World Cup by Wales in October.

The pack sees Donncha O’Callaghan and skipper Paul O’Connell line out together. Gordon D’Arcy remains inside-centre, Tommy Bowe is on the right wing and Rob Kearney is at full-back.

An uncapped Peter O’Mahony is named among the replacements.

:: Ireland team to face Wales:

R Kearney (Leinster); T Bowe (Ospreys), K Earls (Munster), G D’Arcy (Leinster), A Trimble (Ulster); J Sexton (Leinster), C Murray (Munster); C Healy (Leinster), R Best (Ulster), M Ross (Leinster), D O’Callaghan (Munster), P O’Connell (Munster, capt), S Ferris (Ulster), S O’Brien (Leinster), J Heaslip (Leinster).

Replacements: S Cronin (Leinster), T Court (Ulster), D Ryan (Munster), P O’Mahony (Munster), E Reddan (Leinster), R O’Gara (Munster), F McFadden (Leinster).

Jim Stynes was appointed Demons president in June 2008. (File pic)

Jim Stynes has stepped down as president of Melbourne Demons.

The Dubliner, 45, has said he will now focus on his health and family.

Stynes was diagnosed with cancer in 2009 and has since had a series of tumours removed.

“As Melbourne enters what promises to be an exciting new season, and hopefully exciting new era, I see this an opportune time to step down as Melbourne president,” said Stynes, in a statement posted on the club’s website last night.

“It will give the football club the best chance to be 100 per cent prepared for round one and will give me the time to fully focus on my health and family.

“I am extremely proud of what the board has managed to achieve since I took on the presidency in June 2008, particularly in bringing a greater sense of unity and purpose to the club.

“I have full confidence that Don McLardy and the team will continue that work. Don has my full support to lead the club and the Demons can rely on me to help out in an advisory capacity at any time,” he added.

The announcement came after the Demons board met regarding the role prior to last night’s AGM. Don McLardy is the new president.

“I came into this with Jim, and had a dream that we’d win a premiership and Jim would be the President and I’d be lucky enough to be around him,” said McLardy.

“That’s changed obviously, but I still hope the fairytale comes true. I feel very honoured and humbled that somehow I’ve ended up where I have, because I certainly didn’t set out to get into this position.

“But I’m very conscious that there is a role to be played and a job to be done and we need to do it, as much for Jim as anyone, to make sure all of his efforts don’t come to nothing.”

There was a standing ovation for Stynes after his resignation was announced to the AGM.

He became president of the Melbourne Demons in June 2008, presiding over a period for the club which saw its financial health restored with lingering debts of $5 million eliminated

He did not attend last night’s meeting.

Ireland will be hoping for a return to the success of 2009. (File pic)

ESPN has announced it will televise all 15 games of the RBS Six Nations live from February 5 to March 18.

The station will air Ireland’s Six Nations opener against Wales from 1.30am next Monday morning.

Ireland’s game against France will air at 6.30am on February 12, a Sunday.

Ireland’s clash against Italy will be aired at midnight on Sunday, February 26.

Ireland’s penultimate game of the tournament is against Scotland on March 11 (3.30am), with the tournament closer on March 18 against defending champions England at Twickenham (3.45am).

:: RBS Six Nations fixtures on ESPN

Sunday February 5
France v Italy at Stade de France – 1.00am
Scotland v England at Murrayfield – 3.30am

Monday February 6
IRELAND v Wales at Aviva Stadium – 1.30am

Sunday February 12
England at Stadio Olimpico – 2.30am
France v. IRELAND at Stade de France – 6.30am

Monday February 13
Wales v. Scotland at Millennium Stadium – 1.30am

Sunday February 26
IRELAND v. Italy at Aviva Stadium – 12.00am
England v. Wales at Twickenham – 3.30am

Monday February 27
Scotland v. France at Murrayfield – 1.30am

Sunday March 11
Wales v. Italy at Millennium Stadium – 1.00am
IRELAND v. Scotland at Aviva Stadium – 3.30am

Monday March 12
France v. England at Stade de France – 1:30am

Saturday March 17
Italy v. Scotland at Stadio Olimpico – 11.00pm

Sunday March 18
Wales v. France at Millennium Stadium – 1.30am
England v. IRELAND at Twickenham – 3.45am

Leinster's David Kearney has earned a place in Declan Kidney's 32-man squad. (File pic)

Ireland have included five uncapped players among a 32-man squad named ahead of Sunday’s Six Nations opener against Wales.

Wings David Kearney and Simon Zebo are present after scoring a try apiece in the Irish Wolfhounds’ 23-17 defeat by England Saxons on Friday.

Centre Eoin O’Malley, back row Peter O’Mahony and prop Brett Wilkinson also feature.

All five have been promoted from the Wolfhounds’ squad, alongside capped internationals full-back Denis Hurley, lock Dan Tuohy and back rows Chris Henry and Rhys Ruddock.

Scrum-halves Tomas O’Leary and Isaac Boss have failed to make it into the 32, while second row Leo Cullen has also been omitted from the squad.

Ireland coach Declan Kidney names the team to face Wales at lunchtime on Wednesday with the key talking point being who will play at outside centre in place of Brian O’Driscoll.

O’Driscoll has been ruled out of the entire Six Nations after undergoing shoulder surgery, leaving Keith Earls, Tommy Bowe, Fergus McFadden and Andrew Trimble to compete for the number 13 jersey.

Jonathan Sexton is likely to be preferred ahead of Ronan O’Gara at fly-half while Eoin Reddan and Conor Murray are in contention at scrum-half.

The only other area of debate is in the second row where Donncha O’Callaghan could see his long-term partnership with Paul O’Connell, skipper in O’Driscoll’s absence, broken up.

Ireland squad:
Forwards: R Best (Ulster), T Bowe (Ospreys), T Court (Ulster), S Cronin (Leinster), S Ferris (Ulster), C Healy (Leinster), J Heaslip (Leinster), C Henry (Ulster), S Jennings (Leinster), S O’Brien (Leinster), D O’Callaghan (Munster), P O’Connell (Munster), P O’Mahony (Munster), M Ross (Leinster), D Ryan (Munster), R Ruddock (Leinster), D Tuohy (Ulster), B Wilkinson (Connacht).

Backs: G D’Arcy (Leinster), K Earls (Munster), D Hurley (Munster), R Kearney (Leinster), D Kearney (Leinster), F McFadden (Leinster), C Murray (Munster), R O’Gara (Munster), E O’Malley (Leinster), E Reddan (Leinster), J Sexton (Leinster), A Trimble (Ulster), P Wallace (Ulster), S Zebo (Munster).

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy wants to keep Kevin Doyle at Molineaux.

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy insists striker Kevin Doyle “is going nowhere” before the current transfer window closes tonight.

Doyle has been linked with a move to Everton and the Republic of Ireland striker is currently out of the starting XI at Molineux.

But McCarthy concedes it would be “madness” to let his £6 million signing from Reading leave as his side prepare for tomorrow’s home Barclays Premier League clash with Liverpool.

McCarthy said: “Whether there is interest or there isn’t interest in Kevin, it doesn’t matter because he is going nowhere.

“I would really be crackers to sell Doyle with two days to go. I’m not crackers.”

Doyle played a major part in Wolves surviving their first campaign back in the top flight two years ago but he has struggled to reproduce his best form since a knee injury left him sidelined for the final six weeks of last season.

Steven Fletcher has replaced him as McCarthy’s first-choice striker.

Conor Counihan's side were in charge from the off. (File pic)

Cork and Laois claimed well deserved victories on Sunday.

Cork proved they were fully prepared for the Allianz Football League after they claimed the McGrath Cup with a 0-13 to 0-06 win over Tipperary in Clonmel.

Conor Counihan’s side were in charge from the off, taking a three-point advantage before Tipp got on the scoreboard.

Tipp’s main threat Barry Grogan managed to get free to land their first point before the influential Paul Kerrigan replied.

Philip Austin and Grogan, who slotted over a free in injury-time, added further points for the hosts, but Liam Shorten and Conor O’Driscoll nudged the Rebels into a 0-6 to 0-3 interval lead.

The Premier County, contesting their first McGrath Cup final since they last won it in 2003, struggled to hang onto the coat-tails of the visitors in the second period and Cork eventually emerged as seven point victors.

This is the sixth time that the Rebels have been confirmed as McGrath Cup champions, and the fourth occasion in the last seven years that they have won the early season competition.

In Clongeen, the O’Byrne Cup Shield was secured by Laois after beating Wexford 1-15 to 1-06.

Ben Brosnan’s early point for the home side marked the only time in match in which Wexford led, but it was Paul Cahillane’s early goal that gave Laois the platform to set up the win.

With John O’Loughlin and Brendan Quigley in complete control of the midfield, the Laois dominance continued after the break with wing-forward Damien O’Connor and wing-back Darren Strong both scoring, with the final score standing in Laois’s favor at 1-15 to 1-06.

The Bord na Móna O’Byrne Cup final between Kildare and DCU was postponed due to Saint Conleth’s Park waterlogged pitch being deemed unplayable.

Munster's Simon Zebo was among the Irish try scorers. (File pic)

Saxons 23
Wolfhounds 17

Ireland outscored the Saxons by three tries to two, creating touchdowns for Dave Kearney, Tomas O’Leary and Simon Zebo, but they could not compete with England’s dominance up front.

The Saxons featured six capped internationals and three members of the World Cup squad in Delon Armitage, Matt Banahan and Waldrom – but the emphasis was on youth.

Spencer, who only joined Saracens from Cambridge last summer, continued his remarkable season with an impressive individual display on his representative debut.

England’s senior coaching team were in the stands to witness Worcester prop Matt Mullan lead a demolition job of the Irish pack right from the outset.

George Robson, the Harlequins lock, dominated the lineout and the Wolfhounds could not contain Waldrom’s trademark bullocking runs from the base of an advancing scrum.

England’s forwards flexed their muscles after Mullan had helped win an early penalty.

Burns went for touch on that occasion and England lost control in the shadow of the posts after driving in-field. It was an early warning shot to Ireland.

Ugo Monye’s strong work at the breakdown secured England another penalty and this time Burns went for goal, putting the Saxons ahead after six minutes.

When England’s scrum won another penalty, Burns again went for touch and the Saxons’ built a powerful driving maul after Gaskell’s clean lineout take.

England drove in-field, Paul Doran-Jones broke away to within touching distance of the line and Spencer made the most of some illegal blocking to dart over for the try.

As the 19-year-old shaped to pass, Robson created a gap by holding off Isaac Boss and Spencer stole around the fringes to dive over for a try converted by Burns.

Ireland launched their first attack of note with a break from fly-half Ian Keatley and they should have scored after Zebo, who scored a hat-trick for Munster against Northampton last weekend, was released down the left.

Banahan came racing across and crashed Zebo into touch with a tackle of dubious legality but the Irish wing had two men in support on his inside shoulder.

The Wolfhounds kept the pressure on created the breakthrough with a driving maul before Eoin O’Malley drifted wide to draw Matt Hopper and create a gap for Kearney to score.

The classy Leinster wing was the pick of the Wolfhounds players and there is more than a touch of his brother, the Ireland full-back Rob, in the way he plays.

Burns missed a penalty shot before the interval as Waldrom, in control at the base of a dominant England scrum, began to catch the eye with a series of strong carries.

The Leicester number eight played as if he had a point to prove after being overtaken in the England pecking order by Ben Morgan and Luke Narraway since his role as an unused member of the World Cup squad.

Ireland started well after the interval with a sublime take and counter-attack from Kearney but it was the Saxons who scored first.

Hopper had just come when Burns’ attempted chip in behind the Ireland defence deflected off Neville Spence for Waldrom, who collected the loose ball and charged over the line.

Both sides began to ring the changes and the Wolfhounds introduced O’Leary at scrum-half, who brought an energy to the Irish effort.

O’Leary darted over from the base of a ruck to keep the Wolfhounds in touch, picking off Doran-Jones in the Saxons defensive line to scamper over.

Burns missed one penalty shot to tie up the match before Kearney came flying across to deny Monye as the England wing chased Armitage’s kick.

But Burns kept his nerve to nudge England into a 20-12 lead and then sealed the victory with his third penalty of a satisfying evening for the Saxons.

Ireland kept plugging away and Zebo crossed in added time to bring the Wolfhounds closer than they deserved but the Saxons’ already had their victory.

Paul O'Connell believes the provinces' success will give Ireland a lift.

Lock Paul O’Connell insists Ireland will feed off their provinces’ success in Europe throughout the RBS 6 Nations.

For the first time Leinster, Munster and Ulster have all reached the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup with Irish representation in the last four guaranteed.

O’Connell has revealed Ireland, who open their Six Nations campaign against Wales on Sunday week, are keen to transfer that progress into the Test arena.

“The provinces winning certainly gives the national team a lift,” said O’Connell.

“We’ll have a group of guys coming in from three teams who have been doing things differently yet have been successful.

“You bring in three different types of experience into a squad and that’s a good thing.

“We’ve been used to winning games away from home and winning pressure games, figuring out ways to get the result. All of that combines and should be good for the Ireland team.

“It certainly puts a spring in your step and you can see the effect the successful campaigns have had on the atmosphere around the squad.

“It’s been good that most of us have been able to move away from that disappointing performances in the World Cup quarter-final against Wales and put a campaign together.

“It gets that performance out of the system for a lot of us.”

The 22-10 loss to Wales in Wellington last October brought an abrupt end to a World Cup that had promised so much.

Ireland produced their worst performance of the tournament and were well beaten by a side that played with greater dynamism and accuracy.

“That defeat certainly focuses the mind,” said Lions skipper O’Connell.

“We just didn’t perform to the best of our ability on the day and that’s what you must do on the big occasions.

“We had a good World Cup in that we played well against Australia and Italy, we just didn’t produce our best against Wales, certainly in that last half hour.

“There were two defensive lapses that gave the game to Wales and that was a big disappointment. Hopefully we can put that right next weekend.

“It’s a really tough rivalry there. A lot of us got to know each other from the 2009 Lions tour.

“There’s an edge to it and there have been some great, physical games.”

Ireland meet Wales and then travel to Paris to face France in a challenging start to the Six Nations. O’Connell admits they must begin with all guns blazing.

“We can’t afford a slow start against Wales. We won’t be able to start by playing anything other than to the best of our potential,” he said.

“We lost to them in the quarter-final because we didn’t play to our potential and paid the price. We need to put in a big performance.

“There will be no warm-up going into it, we must produce it from the start.”