A month by month round-up
JANUARY
The Cork hurlers remain on strike due to a dispute over the extension of manager Gerald McCarthy’s tenure. The GAA rule interpretations are trialled in pre-season competitions.
After a bonus point defeat to Wasps at Twickenham, Leinster beat Edinburgh, 12-3, in round six to join Munster in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals.
Rafael Nadal defeats a tearful Roger Federer 6-2 in the fifth set to win his first Australian Open in Melbourne. Serena Williams wins the woman’s title.
Shay Given leaves Newcastle United for Manchester City, while Robbie Keane’s returns to Tottenham Hotspur after just six months at Liverpool.
FEBRUARY
Nineteen-year-old Rory McIlroy wins his first tournament as a professional, the Dubai Desert Classic, picking up a cheque for €323,514.99.
Tries from Jamie Heaslip, Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy get Ireland’s Six Nations off to an excellent 30-21 start against France at Croke Park. This is followed up with a 38-9 defeat of Italy in Rome and a narrow 14-13 — Brian O’Driscoll-inspired – dismissal of England back in Dublin.
A double strike from Robbie Keane sees the Republic of Ireland beat Georgia 2-1 at Croke Park in a World Cup qualifier.
Joe Canning’s Portumna progress to the All-Ireland club hurling final after beating Henry Shefflin’s Ballyhale Shamrock’s 5-11 to 1-16. They will meet Waterford champions De La Salle on St Patrick’s Day.
Dublin champions Kilmacud Crokes and Crossmaglen Rangers from Armagh progress to the club football final, beating Corofin and Drom-Broadford respectively.
The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Arizona Cardinals 27-23 in the Super Bowl, giving the Steelers their sixth title.
MARCH
Peter Stringer sets up a crucial try for Jamie Heaslip in the 22-15 win in Edinburgh. Ireland clinch their first Grand Slam since 1948 with a 17-15 win in Cardiff. Ronan O’Gara’s drop goal seems to have won the game, but an injury-time Stephen Jones penalty, which fell short, has to be endured.
Bernard Dunne gets up from two visits to the canvass to knock out Ricardo Cordoba in the 11th round of their WBA super-bantamweight title bout in Dublin. The 29-year-old Dubliner was trailing on all three scorecards at the moment he became the world champion.
Portumna win the club hurling title and Kilmacud Crokes the football. Cork hurlers end their winter strike after Gerald McCarthy resigns citing death threats as a factor.
Derval O’Rourke wins bronze in the 100-metre hurdles, as does Mary Cullen in the 3,000 metres, at the European Indoors in Turin.
An early goal from Richard Dunne is cancelled out by a Kevin Kilbane own goal as Ireland draw at home with Bulgaria.
Ruby Walsh rides a record-breaking seven Cheltenham winners, including Kauto Star in the Gold Cup.
APRIL
In the World Cup qualifying campaign, the Republic of Ireland draw with world champions Italy in Bari thanks to a late strike from Robbie Keane.
Argentina’s Angel Cabrera sees off Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell in a play-off to win the 73rd US Masters at Augusta.
Munster overcome Leinster 22-5 at Thomond Park to move seven points clear of their main rivals at the top of the Magners League.
Leinster recover to beat Harlequins 6-5 in the Heineken Cup quarter-final, despite the “Bloodgate” cover-up that eventually led to the disgrace of Harlequins and their head coach Dean Richards. An impressive Munster overwhelm the Ospreys 43-9 in Limerick.
GAA Congress rejects the disciplinary reforms that had been trialled during the National Leagues. Christy Cooney succeeds Nickey Brennan as the association’s president.
The 100 to 1 shot Mon Mome, ridden by Liam Threadwell, wins the Grand National at Aintree.
MAY
Leinster win the Heineken Cup defeating Leicester 19-16 after previously beating Munster in the semi-final, 25-6, in a truly unique Irish sporting occasion at Croke Park.
Munster crowned Magners League champions and Shannon win the AIL title.
Barcelona beat Manchester United 2-0 in Rome thanks to goals from Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto’o to secure a second Champions League title in four seasons.
United had already captured a record equalling, with Liverpool, 18th league title – their 11th English Premiership crown under Alex Ferguson.
Offaly native Shane Lowry wins the Irish Open on the third play-off hole in Baltray, promptly turning professional the next week.
Manny Pacquiao reasserts his reputation as the pound-for-pound best boxer on the planet with a second round demolition of Ricky Hatton in the IBO light welterweight bout in Las Vegas.
The Volvo Ocean Yacht race arrives in Galway. With Irish boat, the Green Dragon, a major focal point as a week of festivities follows.
Chelsea beat Everton in the FA Cup final 2-1.
JUNE
Munster trio Tomás O’Leary (broken leg), Alan Quinlan (suspended) and then Jerry Flannery (elbow) are ruled out of the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa, which commences with an unconvincing 37-25 defeat of the Royal XV in Rustenburg.
Ireland win the Churchill Cup in Colorado, defeating the England Saxons in the final.
The Republic of Ireland gain a vital point in Sofia, Bulgaria thanks to another Richard Dunne goal.
Roger Federer becomes only the fifth man to win all four Grand Slams after defeating Sweden’s Roger Soderling, who knocked out Nadal, in the French Open final. Federer equals Pete Sampras’ record of 14 major titles. Svetlana Kuznetsova wins the woman’s title.
Lucas Glover becomes an unlikely US Open champion after Phil Mickelson and, remarkably, David Duval threaten but ultimately stumble at Bethpage Black.
Sea of the Stars, ridden by Mick Kinane, wins the Epsom Derby.
The Kobe Bryant inspired LA Lakers capture the NBA championship.
JULY
The Lions lose the second and decisive Test, 28-25, to the Springboks when Morné Steyn lands a 51-metre penalty in the last play of the game after Ronan O’Gara had tackled Fourie du Preez in mid-air.
A visibly drained 59-year-old Tom Watson misses out on his sixth British Open title in a play-off with Stewart Cink at Turnberry.
Alberto Contador, despite the return of seven-time champion Lance Armstrong, wins the Tour de France. Armstrong makes the podium in third. Ireland’s Nicolas Roche places second in stage 14.
Roger Federer wins a record 15th Grand Slam and sixth Wimbledon title after an epic 16-14 fifth set triumph over Andy Roddick. Serena Williams defeats sister Venus in the woman’s decider.
In the football championship, Mayo win Connacht, Dublin are champions again in Leinster, Cork edge past Limerick in Munster and Tyrone are too strong for Antrim in Ulster.
Kilkenny take the Leinster hurling title, beating newcomers Galway en route to the final against Dublin. Tipperary have too much for Waterford in Thurles.
AUGUST
Usain Bolt electrifies the 12th IAAF World Athletics Championships in Berlin by taking the 100-metres title in 9.58 seconds. Olive Loughnane wins silver in the 20km walk. Derval O’Rourke places fourth in the 100-metres hurdles final.
YE Yang holds off Tiger Woods to claim the US PGA title. Pádraig Harrington’s defence falters with a quintuple-bogey eight on the par three eighth.
Michael Phelps takes five golds at the world swimming championships in Rome.
Cork defeat All-Ireland champions Tyrone to progress to an all-Munster football final with Kerry who beat Meath.
Tipperary hammer Limerick by 24 points to set up a mouth watering hurling final with Kilkenny who overcome a brave Waterford.
SEPTEMBER
Katie Taylor wins European amateur title, at 60 kilograms, for fourth time in a row without conceding a single point in Ukraine.
Bernard Dunne loses his WBA super- bantamweight belt to Thailand’s Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym after being knocked down three times in the third round in Dublin. Irish professional boxer and Olympic bronze medalist Darren Sutherland is found dead in London.
The Republic of Ireland defeat Cyprus 2-1 in Nicosia with a late goal from Robbie Keane keeping Giovanni Trapattoni’s team on course for World Cup qualification.
Kilkenny retain the Liam MacCarthy Cup for a fourth year by beating Tipperary in thrilling contest decided by a controversial penalty. Kerry beat Cork, 0-16 to 1-9, in the football decider.
A Clare revival looks possible as they surprise Kilkenny and win the under-21 hurling title. Kilkenny are also runners-up in the camogie final, with Cork winning and beating Dublin in the women’s football final.
Twenty-year-old Juan Martin del Potro ends Roger Federer’s five-year unbeaten reign at the US Open in five dramatic sets to win his first Grand Slam title.
OCTOBER
Sea of the Stars is put out to stud after becoming the first horse in history to capture the 2,000 Guineas, the Epsom Derby and Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamps, Paris in a perfect six from six group one season. 50 year old Mick Kinane steers him home.
The Republic of Ireland are destined for the World Cup play-offs after a late goal from Alberto Gilardino gives Italy the essential point to top the group in a dramatic 2-2 draw at Croke Park.
Leinster beat Munster 30-0 at the RDS as John Hayes is red carded, and subsequently suspended for five weeks, for stamping on Cian Healy. Ulster get off to a winning Heineken Cup start at home to Bath as Leinster and Munster lose. Both recover in round two as Ulster stumble in Edinburgh.
Rio de Janeiro preferred over Madrid, Tokyo and Chicago as host city for the 2016 summer Olympic Games.
Jenson Button secures the Forumla One title at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
NOVEMBER
Thierry Henry or the Swedish officials – take your pick. France defeat the Republic of Ireland 2-1 on aggregate after Henry clearly handles the ball twice before crossing for William Gallas’ winning goal.
Bohemians win the League of Ireland Premier League.
Fiorentina beat Lyon to confirm Liverpool’s exit from the Champions League.
Sporting Fingal win the FAI Cup, defeating Sligo Rovers 2-1 at the Tallaght Stadium.
Ireland complete their first undefeated (nine wins and a draw) season since 1985 with a 15-10 victory over world champions South Africa at Croke Park.
New Zealand captain Richie McCaw is controversially named IRB player of the year ahead of Brian O’Driscoll.
Tiger Woods suffers face lacerations after a incident near his Florida home.
Lee Westwood wins the European Order of Merit ahead of Rory McIlroy.
Player revolts against the Clare and Limerick hurling managers keeps the GAA news ticking over in the off season.
The GAA officially recognise the Gaelic Players Association.
DECEMBER
Golf’s world number one Tiger Woods ends his season early citing personal reasons. He later takes an “indefinite break” from professional golf due to “the disappointment and hurt that my infidelity has caused to so many people, most of all my wife and children”.
Leinster and Munster produce some stirring performances to end a great year for Irish rugby with emphatic victories over Llanelli by Leinster and, particularly, Munster’s bonus point win away to Perpignan.
Clare hurling manager Mike McNamara steps down and is replaced by Ger “Sparrow” O’Loughlin. Limerick hurling manager Justin McCarthy receives the support of club delegates despite the ongoing player revolt.
Manchester United draw David Beckham’s AC Milan while Jose Mourhino’s Inter Milan is paired with Chelsea in the last 16 of the Champions League.
