THREE years into Giovanni Trapattoni’s Ireland regime, certain questions remain frustratingly unanswered.

NO doubt about it, Saturday was a good day at the office.

LEINSTER face an anxious 48 hours waiting on the medical fallout from a bruising Magners League semi-final win over Ulster in Dublin that saw Brian O’Driscoll hobble out of action at half-time.

I HEARD only one voice in the wilderness asking for the extradition of David Drumm from the USA to Ireland so he can be questioned about alleged discrepancies in Anglo Irish Bank when he was in charge.

Winning the Derby continues to elude Her Majesty so will her trip to the National Stud ensure a winner, asks Margaret Carragher

BARCELONA eased to their third successive La Liga title with a low-key draw away to Levante last night to retain their crown with two games to spare.

PRESSURE is growing on FIFA to launch a full investigation into fresh allegations that six executive committee members asked for bribes or favours, including a knighthood, in return for World Cup votes.

FINE GAEL are not hiding party leader Enda Kenny, finance spokesman Michael Noonan has insisted, dismissing such claims as ‘propaganda’.

THE manner in which Mario Balotelli recorded his first hat-trick in English football summed up just how easy Manchester City’s victory over Aston Villa was yesterday.

WHO could wish for more from Santa the Gooner, than a nodding Arsenal bulldog to adorn the dashboard of my motor and three points from our encounter with the Blues, which guarantees that the Gunners will ring in the New Year if not as leaders then at least as the capital’s top dogs?

THE hands of relegation are clawing away at Mick McCarthy’s throat and after admitting the festive period could decide Wolves’s fate, he appears well on course for a one-way ticket to the wilderness of the Championship.

MARK HUGHES could never have envisaged at the start of the season that he would be fighting to save his position at Fulham and have his own supporters calling for him to be sacked by Christmas.

TYRONE county board chairman Ciaran McLaughlin has hit out at the treatment meted to referee Martin Sludden at the end of last July’s controversial Leinster senior football final.

BALL tucked tightly under his arm, Francie Bellew made his way into the Crossmaglen dressing room in Breffni Park yesterday with the broadest of smiles.

ON ONE hand, writing about Munster playing at home in the Heineken Cup is the simplest assignment in the world.

JOB done for Munster with an essential home win over Ospreys in Heineken Cup Pool Three.

MICK MCCARTHY singled out Stephen Ward for praise after the versatile Irishman helped Wolves record a deserved derby victory over Birmingham.

THREE ROCK ROVERS sprung a South African surprise on Cork Church of Ireland on Saturday, as Jody Hosking’s double helped them to a noteworthy 2-1 Irish Junior Cup round one win at Garryduff.

Consider how your attitude to a referee would be transformed if you realised the poor sod was being forced to do it. But how could the GAA make them do it, I hear you ask?