It being exactly two centuries since the birth of Charles Dickens tomorrow, you’ll forgive our leaning on the old master this morning.

Three of the sides playing in this weekend’s Waterford Crystal senior hurling quarter-finals have managers from one club, St Finbarr’s of Cork.

If both teams or participants are praying to God before a game or contest, and only one wins, doesn’t that prove that God is on one side but not on the other?

Stephen Ferris takes questions with a look of calm, if not outright satisfaction.

WHEN Bob Lipsyte was a kid in New York, he went to a total of two professional baseball games.

WHEN it comes to solidarity, it’s hard to beat intercounty managers.

SOME things haven’tchanged at the basketball.

SEVENTY years ago Billy Conn, weighing 174 pounds and fighting out of East Liberty, Pittsburgh, took on the Brown Bomber, Joe Louis, for the heavyweight title.

AFTER years of success with Glanmire in ladies basketball, Mark Scannell realised his appetite wasn’t what it used to be.

THEY say every man thinks less of himself if he has never been a soldier.