He is a dyed-in-the-wool hurling man who’s made rapid strides through the tiers of rugby refereeing. Ahead of tonight’s European Challenge Cup final, George Clancy spoke to COLM O’CONNOR

GO UP to Cork Airport, or roll out the road to Shannon today, or tomorrow morning, and you’ll clock them immediately in the queues.

GEORGIOS SAMARAS claims Celtic are a better team than Rangers – and insists the Ibrox side will be undeserving champions if they clinch the title against Dundee United on Sunday.

AIB’s outgoing chief executive Eugene Sheehy has denied accusations that the bank had acted illegally in allowing its subsidiary, Goodbody Stockbrokers, to trade in its shares overseas before legislation was changed to formally allow it to do so.

JUST when you thought our sleaze-splattered banking sector could hardly get much murkier, up pops a money mystery worthy of Hercule Poirot.

THE Liverpool derby can be daunting prospect for any player let alone a newcomer, but Andrea Dossena is no stranger to needle matches.

MANCHESTER UNITED last night accused referee Mike Riley of “unfair” treatment of their players after another spiteful and acrimonious visit to Chelsea.

IN A week of major surprises, word that Anglo Irish Bank is considering a bid for Irish Nationwide Building Society has given the drama unfolding on global markets a definite local twist.

AFTER the first 60 minutes at Middle Eastlands I had mentally crafted this column as a thesis on which set of supporters this weekend looked the biggest set of plums — the Manchester City fans swathed in tea-towels and Brazil shirts or those braying Geordies with their paranoid banners about “the Cockney Mafia.”

It should have been the perfect day. Croke Park, brimful with expectation, had opened its doors to rugby for the first time but, on a historic day of outward celebration for Irish sport, all was silenced by a piece of late Gallic magic.

FOLLOWING the fireworks in Croke Park on Saturday night, an occasion chosen by the GAA to mark the opening of its 125th year celebrations, Kilkenny and Galway served notice yesterday that hurling too is ready to play its part in what could yet be a really special year for the GAA.

IT was billed as the night to kick-start the GAA’s 125thanniversary celebrations but when last Saturday is recalled in years to come, it will be as the day Stephen O’Neill announced his second coming.

LAST week I was in England, visiting friends in a rural part of Devon.

DUNDEE UNITED midfielder Willo Flood missed the crucial penalty in an incredible penalty shoot-out to send Celtic into the Co-operative Insurance Cup final.

OVERALL, it was a great year for Irish sport.

AS Gordon D’Arcy makes a long awaited return to competitive rugby action, Ulster’s Bryn Cunningham will give his side another reason to beat Magners League champions Leinster at Ravenhill tonight (7.35pm).

AS TWO managers with enormous respect for each other embraced at the final whistle, Blackburn’s Sam Allardyce offered a succinct verdict on a game that indicated neither team will go down without a fight this season.

MARK HUGHES was recently told to go and get Messi by Manchester City’s Arab owners, but maybe something was lost in translation.

EVANDER HOLYFIELD will take time to consider whether to return to the ring after narrowly failing to become the oldest heavyweight champion of all time in Zurich.

EMMANUEL EBOUE can understand why some Arsenal fans vented their frustrations at him – but has pledged to return stronger from the experience.