Versatile Brady happy to break scoring duck for Norwich

Brady's early goal at Upton Park wasn't enough for the Canaries to register a crucial victory as West Ham United twice battled back to claim a 2-2 draw but Martin O'Neill's first-choice left-back enjoyed resuming the position which first brought him acclaim.

The Dubliner was still attempting to break into Manchester United's first team when he became the record scorer for Ireland's U-21s in 2012 and, despite both Norwich and Ireland now deploying him in defensive roles, his goalscoring threat for both teams was evidenced by his instinctive finish against the Hammers.

"Growing up, I'd always been an attacking-minded player so the opportunity to play up there on Saturday was good," said the 23-year-old, a year on from his last Premier League goal, then as a Hull City player.

"It's been a while since I played high up the pitch. When the ball was played across at the back, I saw the defender wasn't getting there, and managed to get onto it and put it away.

Sloppy

"The frustrating thing was not holding on for the three points. We got sloppy in our play towards the end, West Ham brought on some of their big lads, and the late equaliser came.

"Still, it's a good away point and keeps us with a decent start to the season for us."

Elsewhere on the penultimate weekend of fixtures before Ireland assemble for the concluding Euro 2016 qualifiers against Germany and Poland, Jon Walters collected his third goal of the season.

The striker opened the scoring in Stoke City's 2-1 win over Bournemouth, another illustration of his worth to a club unwilling to meet his contract demands as his current deal nears expiration.

Marc Wilson's absence from the Potters squad due to a calf strain may represent a concern for O'Neill, especially as the man who recently displaced him at centre-back in the Ireland team, Ciaran Clark, hasn't kicked a ball in the Premier League since returning to Aston Villa from international duty.

The saga surrounding the allegiance of Clark's clubmate Jack Grealish continues following a report yesterday that the Ireland U-21 winger has chosen to switch to England. An update on the tug-of-war is expected on Thursday when Roy Hodgson names his squad for the final qualifiers against Estonia and Lithuania.

In the Championship, Joe Mason - watched lately by O'Neill yet not deemed worthy of inclusion in his bloated 40-man squad - scored for the fourth time this season in Cardiff City's 2-1 win over Charlton.

Swimming: Franklin, Seebohm to renew rivalry here

Just weeks after watching the sport's future stars grace the OCBC Aquatic Centre, Singapore swimming fans will get to watch the real deals in action when the country stages next month's Fina Swimming World Cup.

The Straits Times understands that American four-time Olympic gold medallist Missy Franklin, Australian world champion Emily Seebohm and Hungarian world record holder Katinka Hosszu are among a host of big names who have signed up for the Oct 3- 4 event.

Typically a short-course (25m) meet, the eight-legged World Cup series has adopted a long-course (50m) format this year to act as an Olympic qualifier, as well as to increase the participation of the national federations.

Ang Peng Wee, chairman of the Singapore leg's organising committee, said: "We are excited to announce a star-studded cast at the Fina/airweave Swimming World Cup Singapore 2015 presented by Yakult.

"With world-class swimmers in the line-up... the two-day meet promises to present exhilarating, elite, race action."

Hosszu is a regular face at the Singapore leg, having competed here since 2012.

But it will be the first time that Singaporean fans can catch two-time Fina Swimmer of the Year (female) Franklin, 20, race in the World Cup.

The California-born swimmer made waves at the London Olympics in 2012.

Then 17 years old, she won four golds, including the 200m backstroke title in a world record of 2min 4.06sec.

The mark still stands.

The following year, she stole the show at the World Championships.

She became the first woman to win six golds (three individual, three relays).

Franklin is set for an intriguing backstroke showdown with Seebohm, 23. At last month's World Championships in Kazan, Russia, the Australian dethroned the American in the 100m and 200m back, firing an opening salvo ahead of next year's Olympics.

Seebohm, Franklin and Hosszu finished first, second and third in the 200m back in Kazan.

Hosszu, 26, is also entering top form. She broke Ariana Kukors' six-year-old world 200 metres individual medleyrecord in Kazan, an impressive feat given that Kukors' mark was set in the era of the now-banned rubber suits.

Singapore swimmer Hannah Quek, 15, who had competed at last month's Fina World Youth Championships, said she is looking forward to the 200m back race.

A backstroke specialist, she said: "It is a great opportunity for backstroke swimmers like myself to pick up a few pointers.

"I am sure it will be a very close and tight race and I think this could possibly be the best race we've ever had in Singapore."