What’s in store, 2004?

FOR four years they have been forced to do things the hard way, with semi-finals in Bordeaux, Lille, Beziers and Toulouse.

For the last two years they've even had to take on Stade Francais and Leicester in their own backyards in quarter-finals. And everywhere they go, the Red Army of fans has dug deep in their pockets to follow them.

This is the year Munster's luck finally changes.

THE Republic of Ireland boss came close against Canada in November when he fielded 10 players born in Ireland.

But the day will come in 2004 when, for the first time since October 1975 against Turkey, all 11 players will speak with an Irish twang and know the words to Amhrán Na bhFiann.

AMERICAN teenager Michael Phelps dives into the record books in Athens by emulating compatriot Mark Spitz's feat at Munich in 1972 and winning seven gold medals in the Olympic pool.

At 6ft 4ins and with a 6ft 6ins wingspan, Phelps has already broken 11 world records, and he eclipsed Australian hero and biggest rival, Ian Thorpe in 2003, by breaking five of them in one meet at the world championships.

WHEN Dublin featherweight Bernard Dunne sits down with his trainer Freddie Roach and promoter Sugar Ray Leonard in the new year, their strategy for 2004 could well include a world title shot.

Unbeaten as a professional, Dunne's star is rising Stateside and the TV companies want a piece of the action.

Two or three more victories and the 23-year-old will have a ranking to make the champions sit up and take notice.

ROY KEANE stays suspension free as United reach the final and typically leads from the front, straight in to a midfield battle with David Beckham, the new darling of the Madridistas.

The first tackle will be worth the entrance money alone but Los Galacticos have the last laugh and collect the winners' medals.

Beckham receives his in his hospital bed.

TIGER WOODS will not go winless at the majors as he did in 2003 but the Irish duo of Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke will be on hand to work him hard.

Harrington is due the season of his life after steadily building his career and is relaxed enough to have decided not to play more in the US in 2004. The more mercurial Clarke, meanwhile, is in the shape of his life having dropped two waist sizes and two stone.

CHANNEL FOUR brought it to our screens last year where it picked up 1.3 million viewers in the crucial post-pub slot.

And with the American network NBC devoting two hours of prime time Super Bowl Sunday on February 1 to the World Poker Tour Battle of Champions, it won't be too long before we're all playing Texas Hold 'Em.

LIVERPOOL chairman David Moores finally tires of Gerard Houllier's failure to deliver a Premiership title or even Champions League football.

He brings in Martin O'Neill who in turn brings Henrik Larsson with him from Celtic as a replacement for Michael Owen who joins Real Madrid after president Florentino Perez is rebuffed in his bid for Thierry Henry. Phil Thompson is removed from his duties as first-team coach and moved into human resources.

AFTER 40 years of hurt they won the European Championships in 1964 the Spanish finally cast off their woeful performances in major tournaments to win Euro 2004 in Lisbon's Stadium of Light.

Raul is the star as the men from La Liga live up to their potential at last, coming through their group with Portugal and beating France and Italy before overcoming the Germans in the final.

THIS will be the year TV sports coverage gets taken to still giddier heights as ultra cams take us even closer to the action.

The Hawkeye camera has already transformed cricket viewing and has been adapted for tennis coverage for super slo-mos of contentious line calls; in the USA, ESPN is giving its viewers a below-the-hoop view of NBA slam dunks with its floorcam. The eyesight of referees in all sports, however, will not improve during 2004.