Previous Day
Gold at end for rainbow nation
Rugby World Cup: On the coldest night of the 2007
World Cup, even to vast swathes of rugby followers in their own
living-rooms or bars, Saturday's final probably left them a little
cold too.
Euphoria as South Africa unites
Rugby World Cup: Scenes of euphoria are set to greet the Springboks when they fly into Johannesburg tomorrow as South Africa unites in celebrating its Rugby World Cup victory.
Ferrari's modest maverick takes title
F1 Championship : For eight months Formula One
laboured under the almost certain notion that the championship
would come down to a battle between two men. p
Rugby 
Springboks prove best equipped in bore war
Match report: South
Africa 15 England 6 : The Springboks are the
world champions and good luck to them. They deserve it.Unbeaten champions deserve their title
Warren Gatland Rugby analyst : South Africa deserved to win the World Cup. They were the only team to go through the tournament unbeaten and in the final merited their victory, albeit in a closely fought encounter where there was little to choose between the teams.'It's a dream come true' for Smit
Match reaction : The English players having received their runners-up medals from the outgoing IRB president, Syd Millar, like boys collecting their rations at school lunchtime, there was one lovely moment as John Smit looked back across the Springboks' squad to the last man on the podium, Jake White. pPunters' moments - Gerry Thornley
BEST MATCH : France v All Blacks. From the moment the French stood up to the haka in red, white and blue T-shirts there was something special in the Millennium Stadium air. pPunters' moments - John O'Sullivan
BEST MATCH : France v New Zealand. It was a compelling spectacle, the intensity of the physical exchanges counterpointed by cameos of high-quality rugby. The French tackle count was truly phenomenal as was the resilience they displayed. Ultimately paralysed by they desire not to lose, the All Blacks lacked the mental clarity to prevail. pPunters' moments - Johnny Watterson
BEST MATCH : Wales v Fiji. The plucky but doomed-to-fail Islanders exploded the stereotype and hit the Welsh like darts hitting the treble 20 at Purfleet. When Fiji had the ball they ran it with bravado and menace. pPunters' moments - Gavin Cummiskey
BEST MATCH : New Zealand v France. A haka confrontation to rank alongside Willie Anderson's of old was followed by a typically electric NZ start, led by the hitherto imperious Luke McAlister, before the Toulouse set ripped it up. Three images: Richie McCaw unable to secure ruck ball; McAlister's failure to drop into the pocket; the haunted looks of Messrs Carter, Kelleher and Oliver all helplessly sidelined. pPunters' moments - Risteard Cooper
BEST MATCH: Fiji v Wales. It sparkled from beginning to end. It might have been short on defensive quality, but there was no shortage of courage, pace, skill, creativity and wonderful tries. pPunters' moments - Matt Williams
BEST MATCH : France v New Zealand. This was my pre-tournament selection for the final. I wish I had been correct because it had everything: four great tries, brave defence, drama in the final moments, controversy in the second, brilliant French try, passion from both sides, heartbreak for the "All Greys", ecstasy for Les Bleus and a fairytale ending for the hosts. pPunters' moments - Warren Gatland
BEST MATCH : England v France. It was an old-fashioned dust-up, a Test match where the primary qualities were as much mental as physical. Even though it was a low-scoring affair, it didn't diminish the enjoyment. pA good one for . . . A bad one for . . .
For some players it was a tournament to remember, while others had less positive experiences. p
Points not plaudits are needed
English Premier League/ West Ham Utd 3 Sunderland 1 : Kenwyne Jones did not deserve to be on the losing team. Nor did a clutch of his Sunderland colleagues, Grant Leadbitter prominent among them. pWenger enjoys taste of victory
Arsenal 2 Bolton 0 : Arsene Wenger says he already has all the socks he can use and the main present he might allow himself this evening, on his 58th birthday, is a single glass of wine while he watches Newcastle United's match with Tottenham Hotspur on television. pRooney refuses to hide
Aston Villa 1 Manchester Utd 4 : For some players there would be a temptation to hide after a chastening experience with their country but Wayne Rooney could not go missing if he tried. pEverton pay the penalty
Everton 1 Liverpool 2 : The postal strike lingered long in Liverpool yet a get-out-of-jail card still reached Rafael Benitez at Goodison Park. pDrogba sings a different tune
Middlesbrough 0 Chelsea 2 : Regime change is unsettling and Petr Cech admits Chelsea remain a team in shock, still struggling to cope with Jose Mourinho's dramatic departure from Stamford Bridge. pRangers put pep in the race
Scottish Premier League/ Rangers 3 Celtic 0 : As Scottish football connoisseurs issue a sigh of relief that, for the first time in three years, there will be a race rather than a procession to the Premier League title, Barry Ferguson has little time to draw breath at all. pFAI board may meet on Tuesday
Euro 2008 Fallout : There was growing speculation yesterday that the Football Association of Ireland Board of Management meeting at which Republic of Ireland manager Steve Staunton's future would be discussed will take place tomorrow. pEngland's Euro exit may have an upside
Andrew Fifield On The Premier League : For all its deserved reputation as a moral vacuum, the Premier League is curiously adept at repairing fractured faith. pSpanish La Liga
Barcelona's Portugal midfielder Deco has torn a thigh muscle and faces up to five weeks on the sidelines, the Primera Liga club said. pItalian Serie A
A second-half goal by Luca Saudati gave Tuscan minnows Empoli a 1-0 win at AC Milan yesterday as the European champions continued their wretched home form. pLeague of Ireland
Sligo Rovers 1 Waterford United 2 : Dave Mulcahy threw relegation-threatened Waterford United a lifeline with a crucial second-half goal at the Showgrounds on Saturday night - but Sligo manager Paul Cooke was frustrated by his side's poor performance. pRobbie: don't blame the messenger
Locker Room : Robbie Keane. Robbie Keane. You crazy, mixed-up kid. What were you thinking jetting across to lecture the confused peasantry on the insidious evils lurking within the media? pSongs that stink
Planet Football : When people think Grimsby then tend to think fish, hence the team's supporters having to endure choruses of "you stink of fish and you know you do" wherever they go. p
Sweet win for Loughmore-Castleiney
Tipperary SHC Final/ Loughmore-Castleiney 0-22 Drom-Inch 0-13 : Loughmore-Castleiney defied all the odds to bridge a 19-year gap and win the Tipperary final at Semple Stadium yesterday when they beat a fancied Drom-Inch team in a one-sided affair. pClarke's late miss lets Navan off hook
Meath SFC Final/ Navan O'Mahony's 0-11 Seneschalstown 1-8 : In Meath football the only thing as definitive as winning the county final is losing it, such is the seriousness of the task. pJacob sets the tone as Oulart impress
Wexford SHC Final/ Oulart-the-Ballagh 4-14 Buffers Alley 2-6 : The worst fears of those neutrals who saw the Wexford hurling semi-finals came to pass in yesterday's Pettit's county final in Wexford Park, as Oulart cruised to victory against an outclassed Buffers Alley. pPortumna produce powerful performance
Galway SHC Final/ Portumna 6-12 Kinvara 0-11 : Twelve months after Portumna relinquished the Galway title in highly controversial circumstances, they reclaimed it with a hard and glittering performance yesterday. pVeteran Whelahan leads Birr to 21st crown
Offaly SHC Final/ Birr 0-15 Kilcormac/Killoughey 0-10 : Birr came of age yesterday when they claimed their 21st senior title by defeating Kilcormac/Killoughey by an unflattering five-point margin in O'Connor Park. pTop scorer McManus inspires Clontibret
Monaghan SFC Final/ Clontibret 1-10 Castleblayney 0-10 : A goal and five points by Conor McManus helped propel Clontibret to their second title in a row when they defeated Castleblayney in front of 4,000 spectators in Clones yesterday. pVincent's chasing county double
Dublin SHC Semis : St Vincent's will play Ballyboden St Enda's in next Friday night's Dublin hurling championship final after they won their semi-finals at Parnell Park yesterday. pCroom edge closer to goal
Limerick SHC : Andrew O'Shaughnessy recently picked up his first All Star award but he will have to wait another year at least to add a Limerick county senior hurling championship medal after Kilmallock were beaten 1-13 to 1-8 by Croom in their semi-final meeting at the Gaelic Grounds. pTulla bridge 74-year gap
Clare SHC Final/ Tulla 1-7 Crusheen 0-9 : History was made at Cusack Park, Ennis, yesterday as Tulla beat their near neighbours Crusheen to claim the county senior hurling title for the first time in 74 years. pSt Martin's book place in final
Kilkenny SHC/ St Martin's 3-16 Fenians 3-8: Led by powerful displays from centre back James Dowling and wing forward John Mulhall, St Martin's proved too strong for Fenians (Johnstown) in yesterday's Kilkenny semi-final replay at Nowlan Park. pO'Sullivan settles matters
Waterford SHC/ Ballygunner 1-14 Lismore 2-6 : Ballygunner advanced to a county final showdown with Ballyduff Upper after victory over Lismore despite Seán Daly scoring a goal for the losing side in the eighth minute to help put them four points clear, 1-1 to 0-0, at Fraher Field yesterday. pUlster regroup for second half
Interprovincial Football Semi-final/ Ulster 1-15 Connacht 2-9 : Thanks to a very good second-half display Ulster advanced to the final in Croke Park next weekend when they defeated Connacht in Ballybofey on Saturday night. pConnacht cruise into decider
Interprovincial Hurling Semi-final/ Connacht 1-28 Ulster 4-13 : Connacht are through to the Interprovincial hurling decider after an easy victory over Ulster in Seán MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey, on Saturday evening. pBradley hits late winner
Derry SFC Final replay/ Glenullin 0-10 Bellaghy 1-6 : Glenullin's Paddy Bradley kicked the winning point in this replay yesterday. pTyrrellspass persevere
Westmeath SFC Final/ Tyrrellspass 1-10 Mullingar Shamrocks 2-4 : Tyrrellspass retained their crown at Cusack Park, Mullingar, yesterday with a late recovery. pMcCormack strikes early
Carlow SFC Final replay/ Éire Óg 4-9 Palatine 1-9 : Éire Óg corner forward Eric McCormack struck two goals in the opening nine minutes in this replay at Dr Cullen Park yesterday to undermine defending champions Palatine and set his side on the way to a record 24th senior championship, their first having been claimed in 1960. pConfey take first title
Kildare SHC Final/ Confey 3-8 Coill Dubh 0-10 : Confey won their first Kildare senior hurling crown at St Conleth's Park in Newbridge yesterday with a deserved win over Coill Dubh, who have contested 18 of the last 21 finals. pMoorefield progress
Leinster Club FC/ Moorefield 0-15 Clongeen 0-9: Defending champions Moorefield strolled to victory in their opening defence of their title at Conneff Park, Clane, yesterday with Kevin O'Neill was at his imperious best and Patrick Murray pulled the strings up front. pCavan Gaels time it right
Ulster Club Round-up : With 10 minutes remaining and the teams locked at 0-6 each, Cavan Gaels made the breakthrough in this Ulster club football preliminary-round tie with pointed frees from substitute Martin Dunne and Micheal Lyng that sealed a 0-8 to 0-7 win over St Eunan's, Letterkenny at Breffni Park yesterday. p
Rose sets up a nerve-jangling finale
Portugal Masters : Justin Rose insists that the cork oaks of Valderrama will be a bigger rival than Padraig Harrington when he arrives in Spain for next week's Volvo Masters and what promises to be a nerve-jangling battle for the European Order of Merit title. pFull Tour card still on for Dubliner Browne
CHALLENGE TOUR : Mikael Lundberg survived the brutally tough conditions that blighted the final round to win the Toscana Open Italian Federation Cup and secure a return to The European Tour. p
Wood gets plenty of satisfaction with Earl
Curragh Report : Nine years might be a relative blip in the overall career of the Rolling Stones but Sandymount Earl, the horse owned by Ronnie Wood, the guitarist with the self-styled "Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band in the World", bridged a long gap at the Curragh yesterday with a gutsy success in the Hacketts Irish Cesarewitch. pDylan looks the 'banker'
News Round-Up : The Irish team for the Breeders' Cup extravaganza are expected to arrive at Monmouth Park in New Jersey tomorrow with Aidan O'Brien's Arc hero Dylan Thomas a widely anticipated European "banker" in the mile-and-a-half Turf. p
Raikkonen tops off season of the unexpected
Motor Sport Formula One Championship : Kimi Raikkonen stormed out of left field to take the Formula One drivers championship from under the noses of title favourites Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso at the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix yesterday. pTaylor sets her sights on gold in London
Boxing/ Sixth Women's European Championships : World champion and this weekend European champion for a third time, Katie Taylor now straddles her sport in a way that no other amateur boxer has done before. pDuddy far too strong for teenager
Boxing : John Duddy set his sights on a bumper night at the King's Hall on December 8th before any world title attempt, after his demolition of 19-year-old Prince Arron at the National Stadium on Saturday night. pCunego claims win
CYCLING : Italian rider Damiano Cunego repeated his 2004 victory in the Tour of Lombardy on Saturday when he outsprinted Riccardo Riccò (Saunier Duval-Prodir) to the line at the end of the tough Italian Classic, writes Shane Stokes . pClose call but not as hairy as the Gorilla playing drums
TV View : Such were the levels of anticipation since the semi-finals the build-up seemed interminable, even if it was only actually a week long. p
