ireland.com - The Irish Times

Croke Park factor swells IRFU kitty
RUGBY: The IRFU annual council meeting yesterday reported a surplus for the financial year ending April 30th of €5.2 million, nearly all of which can be attributed to the move to Croke Park. This compares to a surplus of over €816,000 for the previous 12 months and leaves the Union's coffers looking relatively healthy after years of reporting annual deficits in the professional era. p

Jankovic plays prima donna
TENNIS: Jelena Jankovic once said her looks were "weird". A British journalist described her as having the face of a "Mongolian princess". p

Derry face daunting trip to Armenia
SOCCER/Champions League draw: A year ago a run in the Uefa Cup gave them a taste for European football in the likes of Gothenburg, Glasgow and, even as they went out, Paris. The downside of Derry City's elevation to the Champions League this year, however, was highlighted yesterday when the draw for the first round of the competition was made. p

Gaelic Games

With same eight from 12 so far, last chance for qualifiers to find unlikely combination
Seán Moran describes how the failure of the non-seeded counties to achieve a breakthrough has hastened the end of the current hurling qualifiers p
Kerry in back yard and facing back door again
Munster SFC Final/Kerry v Cork: Here's a worrying statistic for Kerry people ahead of tomorrow's game in Killarney: Kerry have not won a Munster final at Fitzgerald Stadium since 1986. p
Atmospheric amphitheatre awaits auld firm
Keith Duggan on how history and its proximity to the town of Killarney have imbued Fitzgerald Stadium with a magical aura p
Antrim capable of surprising depleted Clare
The Leinster final is probably the most significant hurling match this weekend, but it may not be the most interesting. For the first time since their introduction three years ago, the All-Ireland qualifiers don't look entirely predictable, which makes today's four games quite attractive, especially Tipperary against Offaly and Antrim against Clare. p
Preview
A look at the Munster Senior Football Fnal p
Weekend previews
A look at the weekend matches in gaelic games p
Weekend previews
Leinster SHC - Final/Kilkenny v Wexford: On the evidence of their respective semi-finals, a yawning chasm seems to separate the teams. But tomorrow's Guinness Leinster hurling final should see a more sustained Wexford challenge than has recently been the case. p
Blessed with a sense of perfect timing
Leinster SHC Final: Tom Humphries charts the slow but steady rise to national prominence of Kilkenny's richly talented and inspirational captain, Henry Shefflin p

Soccer

Quigley double lifts Pat's to top
League of Ireland Premier Division/St Patrick's Athletic 2 Derry City 1 : A first league win in four sent the home side back to the top of the table last night at Richmond Park where Mark Quigley's 12th and 13th goals of the season proved enough to extend the visitors' own rather miserable run of form in the league. p
Stalemate in Dublin derby
Shamrock Rovers 0 Bohemians 0: Perhaps not the most memorable renewal of this derby but there was enough pop and fizz to captivate until the bitter end. Flashes of genuine skill and bedazzlement were conspicuous by their absence yet try and find a punter disappointed with their night's entertainment. p
Defoe sees no threat in signing of Bent
Jermain Defoe intends to start next season with Tottenham despite the possibility of being Martin Jol's fourth-choice striker. The completion of Darren Bent's transfer from Charlton for a club record £16.5 million has provoked fears that Spurs were ready to sell Defoe but the player feels reassured he still has a future at White Hart Lane. p
Cork in commanding position
Intertoto Cup First round, second leg/Cork City (2) v Valur Reykjavik (0): A solid performance in Reykjavik, combined with two blunders by the home side's goalkeeper, means Cork City find themselves in a commanding position ahead of tonight's Intertoto second leg with even the visiting manager conceding that his Valur side face an uphill task at Turner's Cross. p

Wimbledon

Federer looks peerless on surface
We saw flashes of what is needed. We had a peep of the heights that are required to break Roger Federer. Marat Safin, the most talented underachiever in the game, reached them in fits and starts in the third set last night on Centre Court. But by then it was too late. p
Wimbledon Diary
Today's other stories from Wimbledon p

Rugby

Kiwis expect fierce test
Rugby Union Tri-Nations/Australia v New Zealand: New Zealand are bracing themselves for the toughest challenge of the season so far when they face Australia in the third round of the Tri-Nations today. p

Golf

Consistent McGinley moves into contention
Paul McGinley put himself into contention for a first European Tour victory since the Volvo Masters in 2005 when a second successive 69 moved him to within one shot of the lead at the French Open yesterday. p
Clarke shows signs of recovery
US TOUR : Darren Clarke made a welcome return to form when shooting a second-round four-under-par 68 at the Buick Open yesterday. p

Racing

Ordinary Joe who gets the job done
Irish Derby: Brian O'Connor talks to one of the unsung heroes of the weighing room who just gets on with things quietly p
Swing heads to Falmouth
Arch Swing is likely to take on her elders for the first time in the UAE Hydra Properties Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket on July 11th. p
Shamdinan can clip Eagle wings
Irish Derby Preview: Kieren Fallon is on the verge of a little bit of history if Eagle Mountain can secure tomorrow's Budweiser Irish Derby but while the bookmakers reckon the Epsom runner-up is a clear favourite for Ireland's richest race it could be worth betting that Shamdinan will spoil the controversial jockey's party. p
Timarwa to repay Oxx's faith
Curragh Saturday preview: Timarwa might have the most unlikely profile of any of the major contenders for today's Group One Audi Pretty Polly Stakes but that isn't likely to spoil her chances of upsetting some big names in the Curragh feature. p
Listen in fine debut
Curragh Report: Aidan O'Brien and Kieren Fallon got the perfect boost at the start of Budweiser Irish Derby weekend when the well-bred newcomer Listen made a winning debut in the Listed Saoire Stakes at the Curragh last night. p

Other

Draft can prove chill wind for the fragile
Sideline Cut: The NBA first-round draft took place during the week, whereby the 30 most sought-after young basketball players in America and, arguably, the world, were catapulted into the hardwood heaven that guarantees a lifetime of financial security, pampering and celebrity perks and an opportunity to shine in the gruelling 90-game season. This year, the towering Greg Oden is the man of the moment, the number-one pick who is expected to revitalise the fortunes of the ailing Portland Trailblazers, who have not won a national championship since Jimmy Carter ran the White House. p
Cork helped our gang hit the ground running
On Athletics: For most of the year the green patch by our estate served as a soccer pitch, but come summer it was transformed into a running track. To the untrained eye, it was the perfect 400 metres, and those long straights and tight bends could pass for Oslo's Bislett Stadium - at least enough for our purposes. p
Battling the cycle of disrepute
CYCLING/Doping allegations: Floyd Landis says he will spend his last cent in trying to prove himself innocent of cheating and highlight the flaws in cycling's drug-testing procedures. Lawrence Donegan reports p
Friction adds spice
MOTOR SPORT/Formula One French Grand Prix: Red Bull driver Mark Webber feels "a bit of friction" between Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso is spicing up the Formula One world championship battle this year. p
Malahide's sights on final place
CRICKET: Two appetising semi-finals of the Antalis Leinster Senior Cup take place in Dublin today. p
Dramatic win for Alinghi
SAILING/America's Cup: Alinghi beat Team New Zealand by 19 seconds in one of the most dramatic races of the America's Cup yesterday to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-nine series. p
Phelans lead way in Class Zero
SAILING/Sovereign's Cup: Three out of four classes at the Sovereign's Cup in Kinsale have clear leaders as the event enters its final day with gales forecast for the course area this morning, reports David Branigan . Class Zero is being led by Conor and Denise Phelans' Jump Juice with two further wins yesterday. p
Ireland's good form continues
EQUESTRIAN: Ireland are well on track for promotion back into the Samsung Super League after yesterday's victory in Lummen. It was the fourth Irish win in the 2007 series and a second successive triumph after last week's victory in Norway, reports Grania Willis. p

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