Ardscoil Rís ambitions of claiming a three Harty Cups in-a-row are still intact but those hopes came desperately close to being extinguished in a dramatic semi-final clash in Tipperary Town yesterday afternoon.

WITH a perfect sense of timing, today is a bank holiday in New Zealand.

MEMORIES of the 1996 Cork SFC final meeting between Clonakilty and UCC will be revived after the students last night set up a quarter-final clash in this year’s championship with the West Cork side.

Middlesbrough 0 West Ham 1

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho today insisted that any punishment from the Football Association for his comments concerning Alex Ferguson or the antics of his players would be unacceptable and unfair.

Martin O’Neill’s men squandered a golden opportunity to lay their hands on a precious first Champions League away victory after 10-man Anderlecht snatched the three Group A points in the Stade Constant Van Den Stock despite having captain Glen de Boeck sent off.

The fans stood in the stands and cheered and whistled as Colin Montgomerie swept up the 18th fairway in the light drizzle of Royal Lytham & St Annes.