Saturday sport: Arsenal all square with Bournemouth, Connacht trail in the Challenge Cup

Kenneth Fox

Soccer

Arsenal can score a massive psychological blow in the Premier League's title race this afternoon.

They are hosting Bournemouth, who are on an eleven-game unbeaten run.

Junior Krupi scored to give Bournemouth an early 1-0 lead in that game until Viktor Gyokeres equalised from the penalty spot.

Later at 3pm, Burnley can close the gap to 18th placed Tottenham with a win over Brighton.

At the same time, Keith Andrews' Brentford welcome Everton.

Fulham head to Anfield looking to add to Liverpool's recent misery from 5:30pm.

 

Rugby

Day One of the Women's Six Nations is underway.

France and Italy have kicked things off, and it's France 0 Italy 0 in the first half there.

Ireland captain Erin King says they will play the match, not the occasion, as they play in front of a big crowd at Twickenham.

They're away to England with more than 75 thousand tickets sold for the game.

King says they're not there to make up the numbers:

The day's action ends with the meeting of Scotland and Wales at 4:40pm.

A place in the last four of the Champions Cup is the prize for Leinster this evening.

The Blues welcome Sale Sharks to the Aviva for their quarter final at 5:30pm.

Before that, Toulon are in Scotland to face Glasgow Warriors from 3pm.

Two of the last 4 slots in the Challenge Cup could be taken by Irish sides this season.

Connacht are aiming to join Ulster in the semi-finals.

They're taking on Montpellier where it's Montpellier 26 Connacht 8 after the first half.

Dylan Tierney Martin's try and a Sam Gilbert penalty have Connacht on the board.

The Northern province booked their place with a 41 to 24 point win over La Rochelle last night.

 

Golf

Rory McIlroy is in a prime position to become just the fourth person to retain the Masters title.

The Northern Irishman sits on 12 under par ahead of teeing off for his third round at 10 to 8 this evening.

Only Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and Nick Faldo have kept hold of the green jacket

Rory is 6 shots ahead of Patrick Reed and Sam Burns who lead the challenge on 6 under.

Shane Lowry is one of three players a shot further back, and he gets his Saturday underway just before 7:30pm.

 

GAA

Galway have the chance to become Lidl Ladies Football League Division 1 champions this evening.

They come up against Cork in the final, which gets underway in Limerick from 5pm.

A victory for the Rebels would be their 13th overall.

Before that, the Division 2 decider pits Cavan and Donegal against each other in Clones at 3pm.

Antrim and Louth are battling it out to become Division 3 champions, with that one just underway.

There are two finals down for decision in Camogie as well.

The Camogie League Division 2A final will see Kerry come up against Meath from 3:30pm.

While Armagh take on Roscommon in the Division 3A decider at 2pm.

A Connacht Football Championship Quarter Final kicks off the GAA summer.

Mayo are across the pond to play London in Ruislip from 2:30pm.

The winners of that game will face either New York or Roscommon, who meet o Sunday.

The Leinster football championship also sparks into life tonight.

Neighbours Offaly and Laois get things underway from 6pm in Tullamore.

 

Racing

The biggest event in the jump racing calendar takes place this afternoon with the running of the Grand National at Aintree.

I Am Maximus, who won two years' ago, heads the field after defending champion Nick Rockett was ruled out of the race with a cough.

That one goes to post at 4pm while the opening race of the day, the Grade One Novice's Chase is still running.

Off broadway, there's a 7 racecard at Bellewstown with the evening card starting just before 4:20pm.