Sporting prospects a ray of sunshine

THERE is no getting away from this miserable weather but at least we have something we can look forward to with a bit of hope, with a bit of light.

No, not the summer holidays which seem a lifetime away. I’m talking about this weekend’s Heineken Cup games for starters, then the week after, the decisive week in the group stages of that competition.

I’m also talking about the hurling season, starting a bit prematurely with the minor competitions this month, before taking off with the Allianz NHL on February 18th, before we head into the championship season.

On the rugby front, we’ll have the Six-Nations, the games in Croke Park before we head to the World Cup in France.

While all of that is going on, there’s the golf with four more chances for an Irishman to win a Major.

Derval O’Rourke will hopefully continue her athletics successes with three or four good boxers making waves on the international scene. And oh yes, there’s a bit of football, Cork going to end the dominance of Kerry once and for all. Only to fall to Wicklow in the All-Ireland final. Right.

You’ll notice, no mention of soccer. Reason? I’m restricted by the title of this column. Talking sport, it says; — in my book, soccer Premiership-style no longer qualifies, our international setup would fall under ‘Pantomime’, while even the domestic scene, worthy and all as many of those involved undoubtedly are, has become a farce.

Anyway, to the rugby first. Munster and Leinster must do the business over the next two weekends - and will do the business over the next two weekends. Led by Paul O’Connell and Brian O’Driscoll, these are two multi-talented sides, definitely the best teams in their respective groups who will both advance to the Heineken Cup quarter-finals. After that? Knockout competition, Six-Nations taking place between times with the injury risks that ancient competition entails; we’ll wait and see.

All things being equal, however, if both provinces can avoid injury to their key players then depending on how everything falls, we could even see another All-Ireland final.

In the Six-Nations, the World Cup, again we can anticipate great things, but — and this is by the way — I would like to explain that feeling. By anticipation, I don’t mean we should be expecting to win any of these. Sport being sport — and it’s worth repeating — anything can happen on any given day.

So I don’t expect Munster, Leinster or Ireland to win the Heineken Cup, the Six-Nations, the World Cup. All I expect is that they will do us proud, that they will play with belief, with style, with courage, that they will fairly and properly represent themselves, fairly and properly represent us.

To date, they have done that.

Ah but, the hurling. Galway haven’t yet hit a ball in anger under his stewardship but already Ger Loughnane is generating headlines; if I were a betting man though (I’m not) I’d be inclined towards a punt on that other controversial Clareman, Tony Considine. Galway have the talent, there’s absolutely no question about that; Ger has the wherewithal to get the best out of them, no question about that either. But lost in all the excitement about the potential of the Tribesmen this year is the ready talent in Clare.

Who gave Kilkenny their toughest examination in 2006? Who gave Cork their biggest fright in 2005? Anthony Daly brought Clare to two All-Ireland semi-finals in the last two years.

Tony Considine will be under serious pressure to match that. But few managers are better equipped to handle such pressure. He’ll be without Brian Lohan and Seanie McMahon, two Clare stalwarts of the last glorious dozen years; no matter.

They graced the game with their presence while they were there but — as with Brian Corcoran in Cork — time moves on. One way or another we will all be replaced, and thus it will be in the case of that magnificent trio. Be certain, Clare will be a force again this year.

Mighty, isn’t it? Cork and Kilkenny will be there, as usual, Waterford still a massive threat to both, Tipp and Limerick with pretensions of their own, Offaly more talented than given credit for. But now we have Loughnane and Considine back in the fold. Oh, sparks will fly before this year is over and when they do, before anyone gets too serious about it all, gets on their high horse, remember these damp, dreary, grey days. Roll on, I say, roll on, starting with this weekend.

[e-mail]