Last week, Colm Greaves had a terrific piece in this paper speculating on what Charles Haughey’s political and personal career would have been like if he’d retained a financial interest in a lucrative filly he sold on, Ballidaress.

WITH a few weeks to go, I feel we are still at a safe enough remove from the European Championship play-offs for your (admittedly nervous) correspondent to make an unusually bold prediction: Ireland will qualify for the 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine.

DAVID TREZEGUET is looking to pull level with the legendary John Charles in Juventus’ all-time scoring chart in tonight’s Champions League Group A clash against Bayern Munich at the Stadio Delle Alpi.