OFF the pitch, footballer Mark McNulty is not what you’d expect. There’s hardly a sentence when the Cork City goalkeeper doesn’t mention his children.

Ireland and Preston striker Seanie Maguire salutes Cork City’s title success and explains the debt he feels he owes to the club and manager John Caulfield

Future Ulster bowling fans will look back on this as the golden age. A decade ago not even the most optimistic supporter would have predicted Ulster winning both King and Queen of the Roads in three successive seasons.

It seems that Sean Maguire’s first call-up to the Ireland squad is highly unlikely to be followed by the former Cork City striker seeing action in next month’s games away to Georgia and home to Serbia.

Prior to yesterday’s match, I met up with a mate who’d flown over from Dublin to bring Joel, his youngster, to his first ever Arsenal game. 

Cork City v Dundalk: Before a ball was kicked, Cork City had one over their great rivals Dundalk this season.

Premier League

If you were a fiction writer seeking a flesh and blood hook on which to hang the drama of tomorrow’s FAI Cup final, you couldn’t dream up a more pivotal character than Sean Maguire.

Bray Wanderers 4 Cork City 1: Bray gave Cork the worst possible FAI Cup final send-off on the last day of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division season.

Police are continuing to investigate fan violence at the end of the Scottish Cup Final as Rangers hit out at the handling of the trouble.

Will we see more surprises today?

Swords Thunder produced magnificent basketball to defeat Templeogue 80-69 in a rehearsal of the Men’s National Cup final at the National Arena on January 30.

Drogheda United 1 Cork City 1: Cork City have the FAI Cup final to focus on now after their title challenge ended with a faltering 1-1 draw at United Park

It was very exciting for me to have Arsenal do the double just as I was about to join them as a 15-year-old apprentice back in 1971.

Aston Villa goalkeeper Shay Given is winning his fitness fight to be ready for the FA Cup final.

It could prove a decisive weekend in the Junior Leagues for a couple of Tipperary rugby clubs.

For a player who thought he would never appear for Hull City again, Paul McShane’s return to the Premier League side in the 1-1 draw at Manchester City was as impressive as it was unexpected.

Now the long wait for a trophy is over, Arsenal can finally focus on the future with enthusiasm — on completing, for instance, Arsene Wenger’s new contract, on painting an outline of the 2014 FA Cup on the perimeter hoarding at the Emirates (the section that until now has looked so conspicuously blank) and on building a team capable of fighting for the title next season.

Ronnie Whelan was back in his old football nursery this week, revisiting the tight little Home Farm pitch in Whitehall that must have seemed as big as Wembley when, aged just six, he was brought along by his famous dad to debut in the mini-leagues.

While Ireland international manager Martin O’Neill was non-committal on his assistant Roy Keane being linked with a possible role at Manchester United, Hull City and Republic of Ireland midfielder David Meyler believes his fellow Corkman would be well up to the task.

When it comes to spectacular sporting gaffes, the cock-up that led to the misspelling on a medal of the name of our latest FAI Cup champions is in a different league to Sky Sports confusing Swansea with Newport.

The inquests into the deaths of 96 victims of the Hillsborough disaster will have a jury, the coroner ruled today.

Neil Lennon revealed his Celtic side will prepare Champions League-style for next Sunday’s William Hill Scottish Cup final against Hibernian at Hampden Park.

Neil Lennon will hold talks about his future as Celtic manager after the Scottish Cup final.

Southampton 1 QPR 2

“I hope it finishes this year,” smiles Liam Buckley with studied understatement when the subject of probably the most famous trophy drought in Irish football comes up yet again.

Chelsea’s German new boy Marko Marin has backed them to beat Bayern Munich in tomorrow’s Champions League final.

Liverpool 4 Chelsea 1

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish believes an “obsession” with the Premier League is reducing the value of winning cup competitions.

Angry Celtic boss Neil Lennon claimed referee Willie Collum had cost his club the chance of a possible treble after a “criminal decision’’ not to award the Bhoys a last-minute penalty in the Scottish Communities League Cup final at Hampden.

A more confident Andy Carroll feels his Liverpool career is starting to take off 12 months after arriving at Anfield.

Harry Redknapp fought back tears in court today as he fiercely denied telling his tax evasion trial “a pack of lies”.

BASKETBALL Ireland’s chief executive Bernard O’Byrne has appealed to its clubs “not to go to war” over the Superleague National Cup finals’ move to a Friday night.

Sligo Rovers and Shelbourne go head to head in the final of this year’s FAI Ford Cup at the Aviva Stadium this afternoon, kick-off 3.30pm.

ST SENAN’S caused the biggest shock in the opening round of games in the Munster Junior League as Killarney and Charleville lifted silverware.

Former Republic of Ireland defender Paul McGrath has said he felt "mortified" going into the studio to record songs for his new album.

Mark Wilson put his Scotland career on hold due to fatigue and may now have to do it again for his family.

NEIL LENNON admits it will be a “special moment” for him when he leads out Celtic ahead of today’s Scottish Cup final against Motherwell at Hampden Park.

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has announced that an agreement has been reached for the signing of Manuel Neuer from Schalke, but says official confirmation will come when Schalke are ready.

The FA were forced into a last-minute repair job after tens of thousands of Wembley flags were printed with the wrong teams on.