WEDNESDAY’S last group game against Montenegro may be academic now that Ireland are assured of a play-off place but try telling that to Liam Lawrence.

“SAM is coming home,” that was the triumphant chant around Kerry, last night, as preparations were being made to welcome home the victorious All-Ireland football champions.

BEYOND the ice baths and recovery sessions, the careful diet and early nights, the final whistle in an All-Ireland title still has the power to turn a man’s focus to mush.

TADHG KENNELLY was close to tears in Bellaghy six months ago when he made his senior inter-county debut against Derry and the emotion was threatening to get the better of him again yesterday.

BOLTON manager Gary Megson has told disgruntled fans their actions are beginning to impact on his players.

MICHAEL OWEN’S injury-time winner for Manchester United may well have been yesterday’s iconic picture of the day but Didier Drogba being carried off during Chelsea’s impressive 3-0 victory over Tottenham could have even bigger implications for the title race.

THE call came as a jolt to his senses. Midweek in late February 2008 and Patrick Kelly was in a pub in Limerick, watching a Champions League game with a few college friends.

AS post-match reactions go, it was more illuminating than most.

PATRICE EVRA has jokingly threatened to join in the booing of Carlos Tevez if his good friend turns out in Sunday’s Manchester derby.

SERENITY has been in short supply at Stamford Bridge in recent years, but Chelsea are appreciating the tranquility that has accompanied Carlo Ancelotti’s arrival.

RTÉ don’t operate a version of Sky’s player cam but they would be well advised to stretch their limited purse strings for Sunday’s All-Ireland final at Croke Park.

Fallout from the All Ireland senior hurling final between Kilkenny and Tipperary

Fallout from the All Ireland senior hurling final between Kilkenny and Tipperary continues.

WINNING manager Denise Cronin has no doubt that the current Cork senior camogie team is good enough to complete an elusive treble in 2010 – but only if they ‘deserve it,’ she said after yesterday’s eight points win over Kilkenny.

WHEN the action drew to a close in Croke Park yesterday, the Big House reeked of sights and sounds from another era.

KILKENNY may have been starved of senior camogie success of late, but midfielder Ann Dalton has never found herself short of accumulating honours.

PITCH invasions at the final whistle of All-Ireland finals must become a thing of the past before tragedy strikes, the chairman of the GAA’s games presentation committee has warned.

NATIONALISATION of the banks would cost 10,000 jobs and add over €20 billion to the cost of borrowing, the Irish Bank Officials Association (IBOA) has warned.

DUBLIN referee Richie Winters was at the centre of controversy yesterday as the Turkey team walked off the pitch in protest for half an hour just a minute before the interval in yesterday’s Under-19 Four Nations tournament game against Holland at Bray’s Carlisle Grounds.

FRANK LAMPARD ensured his Chelsea team-mates worked their way back into Carlo Ancelotti’s good books after the weekend defeat against Aston Villa with a comfortable win that takes the club to the brink of qualification to the knock- out phase of the Champions League.