ireland.com - The Irish Times

Pretty Boy lives his life on his terms
Boxing Welterweight title fight On the billboards dotting the neon-drenched Strip this week, the face of Floyd Mayweather Jr overshadows that of Ricky Hatton. Not surprisingly, given the record of British fighters crossing the Atlantic, Mayweather is the bookmakers' firm favourite for Saturday night's big fight at the MGM Grand hotel. p

Houghton becomes the third man
Ray Houghton last night became the final member of the three-man panel tasked with selecting Steve Staunton's successor. The appointment reaffirmed John Delaney's commitment to the selection process for hiring the next Republic of Ireland manager as it was outlined on the night the Louthman lost his job. p

GAA says grant criticism is unfair
Gaelic Games Players' grants scheme The GAA has described as "incongruous" and "disingenuous" the wave of criticism that has followed last week's agreement for the implementation of the Government's intercounty players' grants scheme. p

Taylor goal lifts the Toon gloom
Newcastle Utd 1 Arsenal 1 Sam Allardyce and Newcastle United may not be heading for imminent divorce after all. Instead, this gutsy, and increasingly gripping, draw against the Premier League leaders may come to be seen as a watershed in their relationship, the night when Allardyce began to win his battle for the hearts and minds of players and supporters. p
Givens is keen to cut to the chase
The hunt for Steve Staunton's successor will start to get into full swing today, according to Ireland under-21 manager Don Givens, who says that members of the three-man recruitment panel are likely to get down to work now that Ray Houghton has been enlisted. p
Everton take full advantage of ludicrous decision
Everton 1 Zenit St Petersburg 0 David Moyes claimed he would reserve judgment on Everton's progress until after the champions of Russia had left Goodison Park. Zenit St Petersburg departed defeated last night as Everton sealed qualification and top spot with a 100 per cent record. The Scot now has concrete evidence of the strides being made. p
Liverpool win not suspect
Soccer Match-fixing investigations Michel Platini yesterday confirmed that Liverpool's 8-0 thrashing of Besiktas in the Champions League was not part of Uefa's investigation into match-fixing allegations. p
Soccer Shorts
Other soccer stories in brief p

Cold water thrown on warm weather training
The Irish rugby team will break with their tradition of warm weather training this year, prior to the start of their preparations for the Six Nations Championship, which begins on February 2nd in Croke Park against Italy. p
Byrne expects pack to deliver the punch
European Cup p
Falcons' big guns unleashed against Connacht
European Challenge Cup Newcastle Falcons are leaving little to chance as they swoop into Galway's Sportsground tomorrow night to meet Connacht in their European Challenge Cup match. p
McKinley the star in replay
Schools Rugby St Columba's College will tackle Mount Temple in the Leinster Schools McMullen Senior Cup final on the back of their 21-3 semi-final replay defeat of St Conleth's College at Kilternan yesterday. p

Fitzgerald feels vibes are good for Nemo
By now Nemo Rangers are well used to that inevitable burden of being favourites - damned if they win and damned if they don't. p
Moorefield yet to appeal
News round-up The GAA's Central Appeals Committee (CAC) have yet to hear from Kildare champions Moorefield regarding their intended appeal against suspensions arising from the Leinster club football quarter-final. p

Moore happy as the covers come off Mansony
Irish interest in top-flight racing will span the globe this Sunday, with Dylan Thomas continuing to impress in his preparation for Hong Kong's international meeting and Punchestown gearing up for the John Durkan Chase fixture where last season's champion festival two-mile winner, Mansony, is on the verge of a first start in eight months. p

Renault now in dock over spy claim
Motor Sport Formula One Renault could join McLaren at the far end of the Formula One paddock next year if the sport's governing body finds the French team guilty of using design details illegally acquired from McLaren when the FIA world motor sport council meets this morning in Monte Carlo. p
England's brave rearguard can't pull off great escape
Cricket Sri Lanka won the first Test in Kandy just as they had threatened to do once their batting had put an England victory out of the question, and condemned the tourists instead to surviving three sessions on a wearing last-day pitch against the most prolific bowler in Test history. p
Ultra leap into great unknown
Athletics Antarctic Marathon Alastair McCook talks to Peter Bell as he prepares to take on the toughest challenge of his long and distinguished career in the Antarctic 100km Ultra Race p
Hitman follows in great British tradition
George Kimball America at Large That neither Ricky Hatton nor the world's favourite sport has exactly taken America by storm was suggested by a press release distributed two days ago by the promoters of Saturday night's megafight at the MGM Grand Garden. p

Sections