“Santa Claus would come at Christmas and Rovers would win the Cup.”

Once Cork soccer’s pin-up boy, Carl Davenport will tomorrow night compete for the affections of a Cumbrian sheepdog trainer on primetime BBC2.

CORK City will have to wait another few weeks to finally relieve defending champions Dundalk of their league crown and smash their four in-a-row bid after a highly-charged and dramatic night’s football at a sold out Turner’s Cross tonight.

Thinking of going to the cinema this week? Declan Burke reviews Patriots Day, A Cure for Wellness and George Best: All By Himself.

With the sun blazing down on a splendid looking Turner’s Cross for yesterday evening’s international between the Republic of Ireland and Belarus, one couldn’t help but feel not only pride in being Irish, but pride in being from Cork.

With an incredible total of 24 FAI Cup final victories, Shamrock Rovers have a sense of ownership of the trophy, writes Liam Mackey

The death of John P (Jack) Phelan, solicitor, on Saturday, March 21, has removed one of the most memorable and admirable members of the legal profession in Munster.

New Manchester United coach Jimmy Lumsden, who has joined manager David Moyes from Everton, spent part of his playing career with Cork Hibernians in the 1970s.

CORK City’s new chief executive Tim Murphy says he wants to see the club become “one of the powerhouses of Irish football”.

SO farewell then Yerevan, and apologies to sensitive newspaper readers and television viewers at home who might have been exposed to disturbing glimpses of the milky white thighs of the travelling Irish press corps over the past 48 hours.

THE household names have given way to the names of households.

LIKE a bride on the eve of her nuptials, Adare Manor was last night eager with anticipation, bursting to lay bare her best assets, and arranging and re-arranging her finery for a glorious unveiling today.

TALK of history is unavoidable in the run-up to Sunday’s FAI Cup final between Derry City and St Patrick’s Athletic, what with this being the last soccer game at the old Lansdowne Road and also an opportunity for the Dublin club to land its first FAI Cup in a staggering 45 years.

CAROLINE O’BYRNE is a huge City supporter. Sadly for her, that love of Derry is frowned upon in Cork ahead of the eircom Premier Division title decider.

HISTORY, they say, has a funny way of repeating itself. The Chelsea class of 2005 will be hoping this old adage doesn’t ring true this week.

THE sign implored the players to believe. And each time the Shelbourne players attacked in the second half, they must have heeded the advice of that flag in red adorning the empty terrace.

BOLTON Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce brings a strong squad, led by captain Jay Jay Okocha, to play a Cork

THE UCC football club will mark the conclusion of their celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the club’s foundation with matches against teams representing the famous Harvard and Princeton universities in America next week.

WORLD CUP winner, Youri Djorkaeff, and Nigeria’s star midfielder, Jay-Jay Okocha, will, barring injury, be included in the Bolton Wanderers team to play a Cork selection on Wednesday of next week at Turner’s Cross.

Cork City 3 Bray Wanderers 1

THE FAI should not have to wait for Bryan Hamilton’s short-list to arrive at a replacement manager for Mick McCarthy. If they apply logic to the issue, Brian Kerr should be the next Irish team manager.

Renowned Cork League of Ireland goalkeeper Alec Ludzic has died, aged 52.

CORK CITY have injury concerns about the fitness of leading goal-scorer John O’Flynn who may be forced to miss tonight’s important eircom league tie against Bohemians at Dalymount Park.