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SOCCER: THE new local Junior season is underway, with a full complement of fixtures listed for tonight (Thursday, 6.30pm) and again on Sunday (11am). Fairview Rangers begin the defence of their Premier League title with an away outing to newly promoted Moyross United. Elsewhere, Ballyanty Rovers host Aisling Annacotty; Athlunkard Villa are at Janesboro; Geraldines entertain Nenagh; Pike Rovers travel and returnees Kilmallock are home to Regional United. In round two: Fairview v Regional; Janesboro v Nenagh; Pike v Geraldines; Kilmallock v Moyross; and Athlunkard v Ballynanty. The ‘View will be without the hugely influential Jeffrey Judge, seriously injured in the surprise weekend FAI Junior Cup loss by the holders to Cockhill Celtic (Donegal) at the Fairgreen. In the same competition, remaining local flagbearers Pike welcome Evergreen to Crossagalla at the quarter-final stage on Sunday, 2pm. GOLF: LAHINCH is readying itself for its historic staging of the Walker Cup between Great Britian and Ireland and the United States (September 5/6). Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, Chief Championships Officer at The R&A, said: “The Walker Cup is one of the most distinctive events in amateur golf, bringing together outstanding players to compete in a match rich in tradition and history.” Day tickets are available from €40. Meanwhile, Newcastle West GC will host its €15,000 Pro-Am this Saturday. HOCKEY: IRELAND face hosts Belgium in their concluding group fixture at the Women’s World Cup in Wavre tonight (Thursday), 8.30pm. For Limerick’s Róisín Upton (32), this is her third World Cup campaign, and she is the holder of over 150 international senior caps. Earlier (4pm), Ireland meet Spain in Mens. Both games are live on RTÉ2. RUGBY: MUNSTER will host its latest Men’s Open Training Session at Ballina/Killaloe RFC this Friday, 11am – 1pm. Here, supporters will have the chance to watch the training before having the opportunity to meet the players and coaches afterwards for selfies and autographs. Meanwhile, with two wins (over Leinster and Ulster) from as many starts, Munster complete the round-robin phase of the Women’s Inter-provincial Championship against Connacht in Galway on Saturday, 4.15pm. Ahead of the weekend, it’s known that Munster and Leinster will already contest the series final. CAMOGIE: ALL round two fixtures in the Senior Championship are listed for this Friday (7pm, with first time at home): Patrickswell v Newcastle West, Killeedy v Monaleen, Adare v Ahane, Croagh/Kilfinny v Bruff. LEAGUE OF IRELAND: IN an appetising Munster Derby, Treaty United welcome Cork City to the Markets Field in the Men’s First Division on Friday, 7.45pm. Meanwhile, Irene Hehir has been appointed as Head of Academy Coaching at Treaty United. She steps into the role with extensive experience as a player, coach and coach educator, together with a strong existing connection to the club. Most recently, she has been coaching with Treaty Senior Women’s team, having previously managed both at U17 and U19 with the club. ATHLETICS: SARAH Lavin is on the lookout for a new coach, following an end to her 25-year partnership with Noelle Morrissey and a short stint with John Coghlan in Hong Kong. She ran a season’s best of 13.07 in the heat of the 100m hurdles but failed to reach the semi-finals at last week’s European Championships. “The hardest thing is coming to a championship without a coach. But there’s a remarkable team behind me and, yes, there are a lot of good people out there who have chimed in over the last few weeks,” she said. “I promise it’s not the end, and far from it.”