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Ragged defeat the ultimate pay-off
RUGBY: THE LAST throes of the Eddie O'Sullivan era
are expected to be completed within the next few weeks as the key
committees in the IRFU come to grips with a sustained decline that
culminated in an increasingly ragged 33-10 defeat to England on
Saturday. p
Nemo the team with history
GAELIC GAMES/All-Ireland Club FC final/Nemo Rangers (Cork) v St Vincent's (Dublin) : THE FASCINATION of the AIB club championship is distilled in this afternoon's football final: the most successful club in the competition's history against opponents whose history goes back as far but with not much in between. p
Portumna still running hot
GAELIC GAMES/All-Ireland Club HC final/Birr (Offaly) v Portumna (Galway): YOU HAVE to go back seven years to find the last time the club hurling championship concluded in a satisfyingly competitive final. Hopes will be high this afternoon can bridge that gap but Portumna have to be strong favourites. p
Soccer
Chelsea pile on the pressure for Sunderland
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE/Sunderland 0 Chelsea 1: RESPECT WAS the watchword here on Saturday evening. Avram Grant, the Chelsea manager, said his team deserved it. Nyron Nosworthy, the Sunderland defender, argued the Black Cats were being shown it. pFulham take points and keep hopes alive
Fulham 1 Everton 0: "I DON'T believe in magic wands," said Roy Hodgson after this game but the Fulham manager does have evidence of minor miracles. pArsenal reach breaking point
Arsenal 1 Middlesbrough 1: ARSENAL'S TITLE challenge has reached breaking point. The numbed silence that engulfed the home dressingroom after this latest setback reflected a side deflated, exhausted and, critically, overhauled. Players shuffled in their seats, staring blankly at the floor. Blood, which had seeped from the gash suffered by Gael Clichy, stained the showers as if to speak of a wounded team. pTorres follows in the footsteps of Fowler
Liverpool 2 Reading 1: THE FIRST Liverpool striker since Robbie Fowler in 1995-'96 to register 20 league goals in a season could never hope to be inconspicuous. Fernando Torres retains an element of surprise for opponents though it is they who will define the club's season in the coming weeks. pFoster saves United blushes as Ronaldo pounces
Derby County 0 Manchester Utd 1: IT IS NO surprise that Manchester United have such confidence in Ben Foster although this was not supposed to be the afternoon when the goalkeeper demonstrated his ability. pWe're all to blame for Lampard's delusions
PREMIER LEAGUE: Chelsea must show backbone by standing firm against Frank Lampard's ludicrous wage demands pIreland goal rewrites the script for Eriksson
Manchester City 2 Tottenham 1: SVEN-GORAN Eriksson is due to meet Thaksin Shinawatra today to give a progress report on Manchester City's season and at one point yesterday it was easy to imagine their tete-a-tete being construed in some quarters as crisis talks. The team were losing, the crowd was restless and the atmosphere was reminiscent of the bad old days when Stuart Pearce complained that this stadium had the acoustics of a library. pBarcelona fail to capitalise on Real slip-up
SPANISH PRIMERA LIGA: BARCELONA WERE held to a 2-2 draw at promoted Almeria in the Primera Liga yesterday as they failed to make the most of leaders Real Madrid's 1-0 defeat away to Deportivo Coruna on Saturday. pWigan ride luck
WIGAN MANAGER Steve Bruce is to appeal against the red card handed out to Jason Koumas after just four minutes of his side's 1-0 win over relegation rivals Bolton at the JJB Stadium yesterday. pDoolin criticises state of Sligo pitch
LEAGUE OF IRELAND PREMIER DIVISION/Sligo Rovers 0 Drogheda Utd 0: "IF WE are looking for an improvement in the standard of football in the Eirecom League it cannot be achieved on a pitch like that," was Paul Doolin's reaction after Drogheda United and Sligo Rovers played a scoreless draw at the showgrounds on Saturday night. pBoyd the Rangers hero
SCOTTISH LEAGUE CUP FINAL/Rangers 2 Dundee Utd 2: KRIS BOYD was the Rangers hero as the Ibrox side twice came from behind before winning the League Cup final on penalties against Dundee United on an exhilarating afternoon at Hampden. pPlanet soccer
Today's other stories in brief p
Ireland stuck between a ruck and a hard place
ANALYSIS: Time waits for no team, and by getting bogged down in tackles and rucks the Irish allowed England organise the defence at their leisure pFields all choked at end of era
England 33 Ireland 10: EVEN SWING low didn't carry the echoes of past hammerings hereabouts but, as it reverberated around the ground in the 51st minute, the Irish supporters cleared their throats and unleashed the day's one rendition of The Fields. With their team 16-10 adrift, it would prove to be one last, defiant gesture, for thereafter the supporters in green had nothing to sing about. p'We have to believe in ourselves' - O'Gara
IRELAND V ENGLAND REACTION: THERE WAS a familiar theme running through Irish post-match observations at Twickenham. It is hard to quantify the confidence required for teams to perform to their potential but there's no doubting the Irish players view it as a central issue in their 33-10 defeat to England. pLack of confidence highlighted
IRELAND V ENGLAND PLAYER QUOTES: ANDREW TRIMBLE, Rob Kearney and Luke Fitzgerald walked towards the television cameras, microphones and notebooks a little over an hour after Ireland's Six Nations ambitions had unravelled one final time. The three youngest members of the Ireland team thumped at Twickenham were invited to hypothesise about the continuing malaise that afflicts the national team. pWelsh complete the metamorphosis
Wales 29 France 12: WALES WERE pushovers last year, but if one moment highlighted the difference the head coach Warren Gatland has made this year it was not the opportunism of Shane Williams for the opening try, the unyielding blitz defence introduced by Shaun Edwards or the refined kicking game that left France with plenty of ball but nowhere to run, but an attacking scrum Les Bleus had 15 minutes from the end when they were 10 points down. pHadden retains high hopes for the future
Italy 23 Scotland 20: FRANK HADDEN almost quit his job after last year's World Cup, but despite enduring a torrid Six Nations campaign Scotland's coach insists he no longer harbours such thoughts. After a desperate defeat in Rome, Hadden confirmed he will stay on at least until the end of the tour to Argentina this summer. pBelvedere forwards refuse to buckle
LEINSTER SCHOOLS' SENIOR CUP FINAL/Belvedere College 11 St Mary's College 10: WHETHER ANY members of this Belvedere team go on to greater things on the rugby field or elsewhere in life they can certainly use this collective experience as a springboard to further achievement. Suffice it to say, they are an obstinate group. pDesire and control the hook for Sexton
A fine game owed much to the influence of the opposing captains pMethody have the history, form and firepower
ULSTER CUP FINAL/Methodist College v Regent House: METHODIST COLLEGE go into the Ulster Schools' Cup final at Ravenhill today (kick-off 3pm) as heavy favourites to extend their record as the most successful side in the tournament. pTradition points to CBC
MUNSTER SENIOR CUP FINAL PREVIEW/Castletroy College v CBC: CASTLETROY COLLEGE, appearing in their first decider, and CBC, who share the record of 27 titles with their Cork rivals PBC, clash in what promises to be a fascinating final to the Avonmore Milk Munster Schools' Senior Cup final at Dooradoyle this afternoon. pWalder keeps Wasps on play-off track
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE/London Irish 16 Wasps 22: DAVE WALDER ensured Wasps did not miss new England star Danny Cipriani with by producing a match-winning performance at the Madejski Stadium yesterday. pRugby digest
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McDonnell leads demolition of Roscommon
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION TWO/Armagh 4-20 Roscommon 0-8: ARMAGH UNDERLINED they can still remain in the frame for promotion from Division Two when they went on a scoring blitz against a weak Roscommon side at Crossmaglen yesterday. pCork survive Westmeath's defiant rally
Cork 0-11 Westmeath 0-9: CORK SURVIVED an amazing Westmeath rally in a controversial finish at rain-lashed Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday night. pDonegal hold their nerve again in close encounter
NFL DIVISION ONE/Donegal 1-12 Galway 1-11: FOR THE third time in four games Donegal came out on the right side of a one-point game in Ballybofey on Saturday night. pWard kicks Meath in the right direction
Meath 0-15 Cavan 0-13: A STRONG second-half showing enabled Meath to pick up their first brace of points on the pitch in the league when neighbours Cavan were edged out at the end of a tie played at Navan's Páirc Tailteann on Saturday night. pOffaly make light work of Wexford
Offaly 3-15 Wicklow 1-6: WICKLOW WERE chasing this game in Aughrim from the 12th minute after Niall Smith and John Reynolds had scored Offaly goals. pClare claim first win of campaign
Clare 4-19 Kilkenny 1-4: CLARE DOMINATED in Callan yesterday despite Kilkenny's David Herity goaling to level matters at 0-5 to 1-2.A Timmy Ryan goal and points from Gary Brennan, Gordon Kelly, Ryan and Stephen Hickey gave them an 1-13 to 1-3 lead at the break. Goals from Ryan and David Connole made it 3-16 to 1-2 with 15 minutes left. pKerry in position to exact revenge
WOMEN'S FOOTBALL: KERRY TOPPED the Division One A standings without kicking a ball at the weekend as they received a walkover from Wexford who were already relegated after only one season in the top flight. pDublin to meet Kilkenny in final
CAMOGIE: A ONE-POINT Dublin win opened the 2008 senior camogie championship at Skerries Harps on Sunday as the hosts recorded a 4-6 to 2-11 Leinster semi-final victory over Wexford. pAbandoned Dublin-Monaghan match likely to be refixed for next Sunday
THE GAA'S Central Competitions Control Committee will meet probably tomorrow to decide when to play Saturday's abandoned Dublin-Monaghan NFL fixture. Next Sunday is considered the most likely date for the refixture. pLynch's early goal lights Derry fire
Derry 1-16 Kildare 0-8: VICTORIES IN the top tier of league football don't come any more comfortable than this emphatic display by Derry at a wet and windy Celtic Park yesterday. pMcGuigan boosts Tyrone
Tyrone 0-16 Laois 0-14: TYRONE CELEBRATED a double boost at Healy Park, where a first win of the season coincided with Brian McGuigan's return to action following a two-year absence. pDown produce strong finish
Down 0-19 Longford 0-16: DOWN PRODUCED a strong finish at Páirc Esler, Newry on Saturday. Longford, despite being four points behind at half-time, took the lead with a PJ Martin point 10 minutes into the half. But Down regrouped and finished with three points for a deserved victory. pWexford rally to rescue a point
Limerick 1-12 Wexford 1-12: WEXFORD PRODUCED a late comeback to draw in Limerick yesterday after trailing 0-3 to 1-7 at half-time. Dermot Phelan scored Limerick's goal after 15 minutes. pKilkenny tap out a warning to the rest
Kilkenny 0-25 Waterford 0-14: WATERFORD left Nowlan Park yesterday clutching for an encouraging context in which to place an 11-point reverse. Consolations were few, but worth considering. pAll still to play for in final group games
DIVISION TWO: FOLLOWING AN unexpected reversal at the hands of Mayo last time out, Westmeath's hurlers got back on track with an emphatic 3-19 to 0-9 drubbing of Wicklow at Cusack Park, Mullingar. pOffaly outclassed and look doomed to relegation
Offaly 1-17 Limerick 5-19: OFFALY REMAIN anchored at the foot of the table, having endured a trouncing yesterday at O'Connor Park that almost certainly dooms them to relegation. pCork close door on Antrim
Cork 1-24 Antrim 1-7: ANTRIM'S HIGH hopes of another season in the top grade of the NHL were cruelly dismissed by Cork at Casement Park yesterday. pClare dig deep to find parity with on-form Tipperary
Clare 0-17 Tipperary 1-14: IT'S A SHORT enough spin from Ennis back to Mike McNamara's place in Scarriff, and with a result like this, plus the pleasant stretch in the evenings, the Clare manager would have enjoyed the drive. pOne huge shot for O'Malley, one small but important step for his kind
Mayo 0-16 Kerry 1-12: THESE FOOTBALL counties create a peculiar chemistry. Mayo have been left bruised and emotional after recent All-Ireland championship clashes with the Kingdom, but seem to have the Indian sign on their old rivals on these overcast days of spring. pMcDermott gives Fermanagh edge
Fermanagh 0-11 Louth 0-10: FERMANAGH GOT off to a flying start in Lisnaskea yesterday with points from Patrick Cadden, Matthew Keenan and Eamonn Maguire. Louth improved by the end of the first quarter and by half-time held a 0-7 to 0-6 lead thanks mainly through the trickery of corner forward Colm Judge, who was a constant threat. p
Coleman given 50-day ban
THE GALWAY Plate winning jockey Kevin Coleman is undecided as yet about appealing the record 50-day riding ban he received at Limerick on Saturday under non-trier rules. The suspension is the harshest handed out to a professional jockey in Ireland. pPerfect timing by Walsh
LIMERICK TWO-DAY MEETING REPORT: RUBY WALSH brought Candy Girl through with perfect timing to land the feature event at Limerick yesterday, the Grade Three Bank Of Ireland EBF Mares Novice Chase. p
Ryder Cup the ultimate goal for McDowell
EUROPEAN TOUR NEWS: GRAEME McDOWELL moved a step closer to fulfilling a long-held ambition - a Ryder Cup place - with yesterday's play-off victory at the Ballantine's Championship. pWoods' winning streak continues
DIGEST: TIGER WOODS tied Ben Hogan with his 64th U.S. PGA Tour victory, taking the Arnold Palmer Invitational with a 24-foot birdie putt on the final hole to keep his winning streak alive. p
Shrapnel all over the studio but entrails left unpoked
TV VIEW: SOMBRE WOULD not be the word to describe the mood in the RTÉ rugby studio on Saturday evening. It was even more serious than that, as Tom McGurk reflected on what he called "the end of an era". Not that Eddie O'Sullivan had been told by the IRFU his job was done, but the wise men alongside McGurk didn't need crystal balls to tell them what the future held for Ireland's rugby coach. pJaros helps Monkstown spring a shock
WEEKEND HOCKEY: MONKSTOWN MUST travel to Hillsborough for the semi-final of the Irish Senior Cup. The south Dublin side will have been extremely pleased with their day's work at Grange Road, where they ousted Three Rock Rovers from the competition against the form, but they were then drawn against one of the toughest teams to beat at home, Lisnagarvey. pCostly slip-up for Railway
HOCKEY: THE MOST important match of the weekend in the Leinster Senior League had to be abandoned on Saturday because of pitch flooding. The heavy rainfall finally put paid to Hermes clash against Pembroke at Booterstown after about 10 minutes play. It was the only senior match to be that seriously affected by the weather with the five other games all going ahead. pArmstrong wins in Carlow
CYCLING: PEZULA RIDER Adam Armstrong won one of Ireland's toughest one-day races yesterday, proving quicker than four breakaway companions at the end of the Des Hanlon Memorial in Carlow. pDominant Hamilton puts down marker
MOTOR SPORT/FORMULA ONE CHAMPIONSHIP: THEY SAY you can't tell anything from the Australian Grand Prix, a race usually characterised by crashes, chaos and by the glassy fragility of the hyper-developed machines the teams bring to the opening round of a new Formula One season. That analysis is wrong. pMoore makes the most of moment in the spotlight
BOXING: FOR MUCH of his early professional career James Moore fought in the shadow of his erstwhile stablemate John Duddy, but given his opportunity in the spotlight as the St Patrick's weekend headliner on Saturday night, the Arklow middleweight made the most of it, capturing a well-deserved unanimous decision over Colombian veteran JC Candelo atop Celtic Ropes' "Fistful of Shamrocks" card at the Madison Square Garden Theatre. pYoung guns deliver as England push for win
CRICKET: STUART BROAD lifted the gloom surrounding England's dismal fielding errors by delivering another promising display to vindicate the decision to change their line-up for the second Test. pLet's go clubbing with the beautiful people
LOCKER ROOM: Croke Park today offers a wonderful celebration of community and the ultimate repudiation of Celtic Tiger delusions, writes Tom Humphries pSports digest
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