Previous Day
Another point of no return
RUGBY: Eight years ago Ireland faced a point of no
return. They were without a win against the Scots in a dozen
attempts and, coming off a 50-pointer at Twickenham, they threw
caution to the wind with a new team. The 44-22 victory represented
a turning point. The good times rolled for years afterwards.
Keane happy to return fire
SOCCER: Roy Keane, his words dripping in sarcasm, referred to FAI chief executive John Delaney as "a great man" yesterday, and Eamon Dunphy as "a good friend of mine". Delaney and Dunphy have this week attacked Keane, Delaney for his record in the transfer market as manager of Sunderland, Dunphy for Keane's "bullshitting" in his weekly pre-match press conference. p
Ballack bent on happier endings
SOCCER: David Hynter talks to a midfielder who has recovered from several setbacks that might have broken a lesser man p
Soccer
'Mr Smith' has so much to answer for
A year on the Wear: The sold-out signs went up over a week ago. Eighteen hundred fans will travel the 343 miles from Wearside to Portsmouth this afternoon - and then they will travel 343 back again. Just to put that in perspective: Cork to Belfast is 264 miles. pKeegan needs class of '96
Louise Taylor talks to former Newcastle United players who would not mind rewriting the club's history from 1997 on pUnited manager denies friction remains
It will always be remembered as one of the more embittered rivalries of Alex Ferguson's two decades in English football but a dozen years after Kevin Keegan's infamous "love it" rant in his direction, the Manchester United manager was keen to stress last night that, contrary to popular belief, there is no lingering animosity between the two men. pBolton allege police were overzealous and aggressive
Bolton have met police and Uefa officials in Spain to discuss the treatment of their fans at Thursday's 0-0 Uefa Cup draw with Atletico Madrid. The Premier League club says supporters were subjected to "overzealous and disproportionate" policing before, during and after the match. pRonaldo concedes his playing days may be over
AC Milan and Brazil striker Ronaldo said yesterday he had yet to make a decision about his playing career after having knee surgery that will rule him out for at least nine months. pKeane makes striking contribution
Dominic Fifield talks to Spurs' Robbie Keane who is thriving as a role model at White Hart Lane this season p
Experienced Welsh face new pressure as favourites
Wales v Italy: Wales, Shaun Edwards mused this week, is a nice kind of bonkers. It is less than two months since the Wasps head coach started his part-time role in charge of a team in a state of disrepair, but despair has quickly turned to elation after victories over England and Scotland.Robinson makes his presence felt
Gavin Cummiskey talks to the former England coach Andy Robinson, who refuses to make life any harder for the current Scotland coach Frank HaddenTime to get ruthless with rudderless Scots
Analysis: On St Patrick's Day 2007 Lionel Beauxis of France brought the final score in Paris, against Scotland, to 46-19 and in doing so kept a championship-starved Irish out in the cold. Soon we were all ruing Denis Leamy's quick penalty earlier that afternoon that ultimately allowed the Italian fullback Roland de Marigny bring the scores in Rome back to 24-51. Ireland had a magic day but missed out on the title by four points.Don't be fooled by the calm exterior
Gerry Thornley talks to David Wallace, who is carrying on a rich family tradition with distinctionFrance threatening to run England up a cul-de-sac
France v England: It is easy to forget the damage done to England's season by one, solitary charged-down kick against Wales. Phil Vickery's team, theoretically, could be alongside France at the top of the Six Nations table with two wins and awaiting a cosy rendezvous in a stadium that became a second home last autumn.Ireland almost caught at the finish
Club international/Ireland 20 Scotland 15: Fine match, pity about the small crowd. Two evenly balanced sides, both with plenty of positive intentions who wanted to run with the ball, made for an entertaining, high-tempo AIB club international at Donnybrook last night. It remained in the balance right up until its last act.Superb Scots run in a record 10 tries
A International/Scotland 67 Ireland 7: Ireland were put to the sword in last night's A international at McDiarmid Park in Perth by a rampant Scotland side that ran in 10 tries while playing superb, open rugby.Ireland nerves frayed in second period
Under-20 International/Ireland 17 Scotland 12: Ireland seemed poised for a facile victory when they led by 17-0 at the interval but Eric Elwood's men had to withstand a strong Scotland fightback in the second-half of an entertaining under-20 Six Nations encounter at Dubarry Park.Power tells in the end for women
Women's Six Nations Championship/Ireland 13 Scotland 3: Ireland registered their second home win of the Women's Six Nations Championship in a game that marked the official switching on of the floodlights at Dublin's Templeville Road last night.Kenny leads Irish with try hat-trick
Representative match/Irish Colleges 45 Scottish Universities 8: Dan Kenny was awarded the man of the match for his outstanding display in this entertaining game at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown, last night.All-Ireland League Cup preview
The weekend's matches p
Long wait sharpens the hunger
All-Ireland Club Football Championship semi-finals: Keith Duggan talks to some of those involved with Ballina Stephenites ahead of tomorrow's semi-final pWhelan spells out secret of success
All-Ireland Club football and hurling championships Semi-finals: Ian O'Riordan talks to the St Vincent's manager Mickey Whelan, whose players will be aiming to create their own history against reigning All-Ireland champions Crossmaglen tomorrow pKeeping on going amid the changes
Tom Humphries profiles the Ulster hurling club champions, Dunloy, where hurling flourished even during the troubled times in the province pWeekend Previews
This weekend's matches p
Snowy goes down proven National route
Fairyhouse preview: Everyone's anticipation of the upcoming Cheltenham Festival may be intensifying by the day but the focus on Snowy Morning at Fairyhouse this afternoon will be through a Grand National lense as Willie Mullins sends the Aintree favourite down a proven route to the world's most famous steeplechase. pThyne Again to take an intriguing clash
Naas preview: J'y Vole will attempt to maintain her unbeaten record over fences at Naas tomorrow but the Willie Mullins-trained mare faces another intriguing clash with Thyne Again that is far from certain to go her way. p
Faldo gets sweet taste of vintage Monty
Golf WGC Matchplay Championship: When Colin Montgomerie blanked Nick Faldo during last year's ill-fated Seve Trophy at The Heritage, even the most sanguine of optimists would have had a hard time envisioning that oddest of odd couples popping the champagne corks on the 18th green at Valhalla in celebration of another European Ryder Cup victory. pEarly start suits Ferrie
US PGA TOUR: England's Kenny Ferrie claimed the early clubhouse lead at the Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun in Mexico, despite shooting a two-over-par 72 for a halfway total of three-under-par 137. p
Doctor finds physic for lifelong itch
ATHLETICS/Running for charity/Johnny Donnelly: The rough marathon guide: Ian O'Riordan talks to a man about to run 60 marathons and finds he is not alone the full shilling but also a likely money machine in an excellent cause pO'Rourke must have no regrets in Beijing
On Athletics: Last Saturday evening I got to attend the Irish premiere of There Will Be Blood, which included a post-screening interview with the film's star, Daniel Day-Lewis. When asked what it was that drew him to his character, the uncompromising Daniel Plainview, he put his hand across his mouth and paused, ran his fingers through his hair, then eventually answered. pOne more step to full entitlement
BOXING/Middleweight bout: Keith Duggan savours the build-up as John Duddy and the New York Irish prepare for tomorrow's big fight pKlitschko should have edge in class
BOXING/World heavyweight title unification fight: The much-maligned heavyweight division will tonight have arguably its most meaningful title unification match since Lennox Lewis took on Evander Holyfield nine years ago when the International Boxing Federation champion, Wladimir Klitschko, and the World Boxing Organisation title holder, Sultan Ibragimov, meet in New York. pIreland fail to gain World Cup place
CRICKET/Women's World Cup qualifying: Ireland's attempt to earn a place in next year's Women's World Cup fell at the feet of a stronger South African side in Stellenbosch yesterday as they went down to a seven-wicket loss in the semi-finals of the qualifiers. pFerrari use experience
MOTOR SPORT : Retired seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher will test Ferrari's 2008 car in Spain next week along with reigning Formula One champion Kimi Raikkonen. pTragedy of Gazza won't hit silver screen
Sideline Cut: There will be no sports films on parade at this year's Oscar extravaganza over in Lotus Land. But as many of Paul Gascoigne's ex-England/party colleagues quietly bow their heads in guilt this weekend, it is notable that Hollywood has always been drawn to the more troubled lights that burned within their various sports. A pitch on the life of Paul Gascoigne, which was characterised by fleeting brilliance across England's football grounds and turbulent, often farcical behaviour away from them, will always get a more interested hearing in Hollywood than, say, a biographical picture about Gary Lineker. p
