MEN’S FOOTBALL: Irish Cup holders Drogheda will not be taking part in next season’s European Conference League after the Court of Arbitration for Sport refused their appeal against expulsion. 

Uefa had kicked them out of the competition because the US investment firm which owns a majority stake in the club also controls fellow qualifiers Danish club Silkeborg IF. Drogheda will miss out on an estimated £500,000 in prize money.

SPEEDWAY: Jan Kvech top-scored with a massive 18+2 points and Chris Harris weighed in with 12+1 as Kings Lynn came from behind after heat eight and raced to a 51-39 thumping of Premiership league leaders Ipswich on Monday evening. 

Despite missing their injured captain Josh Pickering, second-placed Sheffield moved within a point of the top after they led from the first tape to maul bottom club Birmingham 57-33. 

MEN’S FOOTBALL: England’s under-21s meet Germany in the Slovakian city of Nitra tonight for a European Championship Group B fixture. 

Germany won both of their opening games while England beat Czechia before drawing with Slovenia. 

A draw will see defending champions England through to the quarter-finals where they will face either Spain or Italy. 

If England lose, Slovenia need a big win over Czechia to make it into the last eight.

MEN’S BASKETBALL: Jalen Williams netted a career-best 40 points and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hit 31 as Oklahoma City Thunder beat Indiana Pacers 120-109 on Tuesday morning to take a 3-2 lead in the seven-match NBA finals. 

Oklahoma have been utterly dominant on their home court during the finals, leading for 141 of the 144 minutes played, but the next game tips off in Indianapolis on Friday morning.