ireland.com - The Irish Times

Ireland can make big stage their own
Rugby: Hands across the Liffey; passports, travel visas, road maps and sherpas at the ready. At last history is upon us. p

Another setback for O'Driscoll
As befits Ireland's greatest player of recent generations, and leading try-scorer of all time, it would have been fitting that Brian O'Driscoll had the honour of leading Ireland out for the first time at Croke Park tomorrow, reports Gerry Thornley . p

Lampard's future at Chelsea unclear
Soccer/ FA Premiership: The future of Chelsea's England midfielder Frank Lampard has come under the spotlight yet again after his agent refused to say whether the player would be at Stamford Bridge next season. p

Soccer

Old ally comes to aid of England boss
Steve McClaren may be only one more bad result from having his head superimposed by a turnip but the increasingly beleaguered England manager found support from an old ally last night when Alex Ferguson attacked the media for what he perceives to be the beginnings of a "McClaren Out" campaign. p
Beckham in Real squad after Capello U-turn
David Beckham came back in from the cold last night when Fabio Capello performed a humiliating U-turn and included him in the Real Madrid squad for the first time in a month. Beckham has played just once in 2007, missing six successive games. Five of those came in the wake of Capello's vow that he would never play for the club again but he was among the 20 Madrid players who travelled to San Sebastian yesterday before their match with Real Sociedad tonight. p
China send seven U-21 players home after brawl
Seven China under-21 internationals have been sent home early from the Chelsea training centre as the mass brawl with Queens Park Rangers players dominated Chinese media yesterday. p
FAI invite Limerick into league
League of Ireland: Limerick 37's place in the second tier of the "new" League of Ireland was effectively confirmed yesterday when the FAI invited the club, recently granted a licence, to compete during the coming season. p
Flood decides to resign
The immediate future of Shelbourne looks set to be decided during the first half of next week following the news that Finbarr Flood has resigned as the club's chairman having completed his work to put together a package intended to pave the way for its survival. p
Stats don't support Delaney's claim
Steve Staunton may point to Mick McCarthy's record over the course of his first eight games as Ireland manager as evidence that a disappointing start need not inevitably lead to complete failure in the job but the 38-year-old's record so far compares unfavourably with all of the Republic's other managers of the modern era. p
Celtic must await Uefa verdict on San Siro improvements
Celtic were last night forced to wait for a Uefa ruling as AC Milan sought to ensure next month's Champions League clash would go ahead under normal circumstances at the San Siro. Milan are pulling out all the stops, attempting to hurry through improvements and modernisation to the San Siro which they initially had predicted would take until October to complete. p
Explosive stuff for TV writers
Wednesday night was little fun, but it pales compared to February 15th, 1995, writes Mary Hannigan p
Maybe San Marino showed our true level
Sideline Cut: Immediately after watching Ireland commit floodlit robbery against poor San Marino on Wednesday night, I turned on the newly-released Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait . Broadly speaking, both shows involved watching soccer. But talk about a game of two halves. p
Soccer Shorts
Tottenham get a bye Tottenham's bye into the last 16 of the Uefa Cup was confirmed yesterday after Feyenoord lost an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against being kicked out of the competition. p

Rugby

Sons of Ulster go first into the breach
Match preparations : 'Cnoc 16" said the sign on the turnstile. The famous Hill welcomed Ireland yesterday, welcomed the Methody boys, the Blackrock College lads, the big man from Bruff, the publican's son, the professionals. p
Ireland must be bigger than the occasion
Analysis : In the week of an important game all a coach can do is control the aspects that come under his remit. Training and selection being the obvious two. Eddie O'Sullivan has been faced with an incredible amount of uncontrollable issues this week. p
Tighthead with open heart
Ireland v France : As Irish rugby enters new territory Keith Duggan talks to three Ulster rugby men about what the journey has meant to them. p
Big strides with 'One Small Step'
Trevor Ringland : I think the barriers and divisions that existed in Northern Ireland are slowly being removed and sport has a part to play. "One Small Step" is a campaign in which I am involved as chairman. p
Special day for all Irish sports fans
Willie John McBride : I think tomorrow will be a very special day for all sports fans in Ireland. Opening Croke Park was a very brave move on the part of the GAA and I am delighted to see it. p
Skrela starts to stake strong claim
Ireland v France: John O'Sullivan on why the French halfback pairing of David Skrela and Pierre Mignoni are poised to continue a proud tradition. p
Old head is now ready to taste success
Ireland v France: Gerry Thornley talks to an older and wiser Denis Hickie ahead of tomorrow's historic game at Croke Park, an occasion he regards as "something special". p
Muscular Saxons plunder the spoils
A International/ Ireland 5 England Saxons 30 : Forget the perceived notion that English rugby is in the doldrums; this was a rout. The theory that Irish rugby is enjoying a golden period may also merit scrutiny. p
Keatley lands late winner
International/ Ireland Under-20s 19 France Under-21s 16 : The Irish Under-20s conceded a year to their French opponents at Dubarry Park last night but they again came from behind to notch a second win on the trot in front of a 3,000-strong crowd. p
Accuracy a priority for Ashton
England v Italy : The combination of a poor weather forecast, a motivated England pack and the unerring boot of Jonny Wilkinson is ominous at the best of times. p
Jenkins targets battle of breakdown
Scotland v Wales : The battle at the breakdown is likely to prove decisive this afternoon, which is why both teams have spent the week doling out advice to the Irish referee, Alan Lewis. p

Gaelic Games

Shamrocks eager to hail another golden era
All-Ireland Club HC semi-final: Keith Duggan talks to some of the key figures behind Ballyhale's former years of dominance as the club prepares to face Toomevara today. p
Gaelic Games Previews
A look ahead at the weekend's fixtures: p

Golf

Teenage Thai finds form as storms hit
Malaysian Open: Thai teenager Chinarat Phadungsil stole the limelight at the storm-interrupted Maybank Malaysian Open by taking a two-stroke lead with a five-under-par 67 yesterday and when the players were called off the course at 4.50pm local time, Phadungsil led the way on seven-under-par 137. p
Furyk claims early lead
US TOUR : Jim Furyk shot a flawless seven-under-par 65 to take a three-shot lead midway through the second round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in California yesterday. p

Racing

Carberry can nick feature event on Hi Cloy
Leopardstown Preview : Hi Cloy might not have the most obvious credentials for today's Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown but this supposed doubtful stayer could still be the big-priced value to provide Paul Carberry with a fairytale return from injury. p
Kauto Star looks different class to this opposition
Weekend previews: Kauto Star is confidently expected to book his Gold Cup ticket by landing the Aon Chase at Newbury today. The Paul Nicholls-trained seven-year-old has earned the plaudits for some breathtaking displays already this season and will surely prove at least one notch too smart for this opposition. p
Concerto goes on Cheltenham festival trial
Since only two Hennessy winners have ever gone on to land the Cheltenham Gold Cup, it looks like any major clues emerging from today for next month's festival will come from the other major trials, with Aran Concerto's appearance in the Deloitte Novice Hurdle probably taking pride of place. p

Other

Ordinary Man has answer for his critics
Cricket/ Triangular International Series : Paul Collingwood will never be England's most glamorous cricketer but it must now be universally accepted he is a player of substance. p
Irish 'desperate' to reach final
Cricket ICC Intercontinental Cup : With the ICC Cricket World Cup in the West Indies looming large on the horizon, Ireland will be desperate to beat the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the final group match of the ICC Intercontinental Cup, the first-class tournament for the top Associate sides, which starts in Abu Dhabi today. p
Charles returns to ride for Britain again
Show Jumping : Double European gold medallist Peter Charles has shed the Irish team jacket and gone back to Britain. p
Brennan granted more time
Sports Digest/ RUGBY : Trevor Brennan must reappear before a independent disciplinary committee on February 26th after his legal team were granted further time to prepare and present their arguments on preliminary matters regarding whether he should face a hearing for allegedly assaulting a supporter. p

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