ON a human level, you had to feel for Steve Staunton on Wednesday night.

DESPITE giving an admirable account of themselves, Shelbourne, the former giants of Irish football, couldn’t turn giant killers at Tolka Park, as a first half Roy O’Donovan penalty was enough to see Cork City through to the next round of the FAI Ford Cup.

SIMON RAIWALUI, the Saracens and Fijian lock, captain of the Pacific Islanders, will be forever grateful for the opportunity to play against Wales, Scotland and Ireland on a whistle-stop tour of northern Europe.

THE last time Croke Park witnessed something as suddenly and as shockingly disappointing as this, on as grand a scale, was when Meath defender Kevin Foley came surging upfield to crash a last-minute goal to the Dublin net to tie up a game that had looked all over in their epic Leinster championship encounter of 1991.

AN HOUR after the final whistle in Geneva yesterday, the Munster front row emerged from their dressing room, and what a sight. Marcus Horan, Frankie Sheahan, John Hayes, all looked like they’d just gone 15 rounds with a young Muhammad Ali.

OIL prices and the fate of the dollar look like being two pot boilers in the weeks ahead.

CORK senior footballers will continue to sweat for at least another day before knowing whether they will be stripped of their Munster championship crown following the use of six substitutes in Sunday's provincial final against Tipperary.

LOSING his place on the senior team two years ago still rankles Timmy Houlihan. As an 18-year old he was first choice keeper, but inexplicably was dropped and has not been reconsidered since.

HOLDERS Ard Scoil Rís remain on course for a second Coca Cola Munster Schools Junior Cup after yesterday's hard-fought 12-8 semi-final victory over Presentation College at Dooradoyle.

CHARLIE HODGSON is braced for a tale of the unexpected when he makes his first England appearance at the Stade de France tomorrow.

Man Utd 2 Lyon 1

Partick Thistle 1 Rangers 2

LIVERPOOL captain Steven Gerrard hinted he would be staying with Liverpool. The England midfielder’s Liverpool future has been in doubt, with Chelsea and Real Madrid reportedly interested in signing him.

BOOKMAKERS in the North and Britain have become more adventurous recently with their soccer betting.

Cork Constitution 27 UCD 27

AFTER the soul searching of recent weeks it’s good to note that some in high places believe we are doing one heck of a job.