Sporting memories of the year: Politicians, actors, broadcasters, pundits and sportspeople list their highs and lows of the past year. Gavin Cummiskey reports
Ross O'Carroll Kelly (Socialite/jock)
High point: Probably the decision by Croke Fields to open its doors to the national game of rugby. Who needs Kielys and the Berkeley Court, roysh, when you can repair for a pre-match drink to such fine hostelries as the Hill 16 and Meaghers? I, personally, can't wait to get on one of those public bus things and venture across the river to watch Dorce, Shaggy and the rest of the goys do their stuff at Bogball Central. Yeah, roysh!
Low point: I would have to say Brian O'Driscoll against the All Blacks. I think it was a total disgrace. There's no room for that kind of thing on a rugby pitch. I mean, blond streaks! What was he thinking? Not even BOD Almighty can get away with that one. Let's just hope his fascination with France improves the dude's fashion sense.
Most memorable sporting event attended: Probably Belvo winning the Leinster Senior Schools' Cup on Paddy's Day, roysh, because I'm really big into crime stories. A bunch of Northsiders inveigle their way into Dublin Four and make off with the silverware. Then they do an Oceans 12 on it and took the junior cup as well. Fair play to RTÉ for showing both matches on Crimeline.
Eamonn Coghlan
High point: I got a great thrill out of my friend Paul McGinley recently winning the Volvo Masters in Valderrama. It was fantastic for Paul, considering all he has endured in the last few years, to finally be rewarded with a top world ranking position. It further backs up the mettle he exuded in the Ryder Cup. Another image for me was Padraig Harrington's long putt on the 18th to win at Westchester. In athletics, Alistair Cragg winning the 3,000 metres at the European Indoors. Although Cragg only qualifies to run for Ireland via the "granny rule" he takes great pride in representing his adopted country.
Low point: Brian Kerr losing the Irish manager's position. I felt he needed, and deserved, another run in the job as he seemed to be just getting a hand on international management. Also, there was a mixed bag of players at his disposal.
Most memorable sporting event attended: My son John winning the Irish schools intermediate 1,500 metres title (with dyed blue hair!) down in Tullamore by just 100th of a second. It was one of the most thrilling sporting events I have ever attended, largely due to the fact that I was both the dad and the coach.
Des Cahill
High point: The Tyrone-Armagh three-match series was just incredible. People talk about the Kerry-Dublin All-Ireland semi-final in 1977 and the Dublin-Meath saga in '91, but this must also be up there. The matches were riveting viewing with unbelievable intensity, skill levels and stamina-sapping tackles.
Low point: The European Cup final in May. I was presenting awards with Christy O'Connor Jnr after a golf day up in Powerscourt and it clashed with the kick-off. To solve the dilemma we got big screens set up, but took them down at half-time (when Liverpool were three-nil down) to start the presentations. A barman kept waving at me from the back of the room, especially when I started taking the mickey out of a Liverpool fan who was up collecting a prize. There were some genuinely furious people afterwards.
Most memorable sporting event attended: Kicking King winning the Gold Cup at Cheltenham. The whole festival was a success for the Irish, but Barry Geraghty's ride particularly stands out. Another moment over the weekend was a Kerry syndicate singing the Rose of Tralee in the winners' enclosure after Total Enjoyment came home.
Jim Glennon
High point: Drogheda United qualifying for Europe and winning the FAI Cup. I'm a lifelong fan so it was great to see them delivering on last year's promise and establishing themselves as a top-bracket club.
Low point: Clive Woodward's utterly disastrous handling of the preparations for the Lions tour. From the first moment he sat down to plan the trip he got everything wrong. There were too many players and the inclusion of a spin doctor deservedly backfired. Obviously deals were done with senior players like Neil Back. Also, the subsequent miscalculation of the All Blacks as a result of overconfidence in a team that had not been tested.
Most memorable sporting event attended: Playing golf in Skerries this year with a work colleague named Ron Ryan who got a hole in one on the par-three second. Because it came so early it set us up for a great day.
John O'Mahony
High point: Has to be Ballina lifting the All-Ireland club title back in March. Considering all the All-Ireland finals Mayo teams have lost in recent years, including Ballina themselves in 1999, made it even more special. I was involved in the background as an adviser, but this was very much Tommy Lyons' team. The All-Ireland hurling semi-final between Galway and Kilkenny was a great game and so was the All-Ireland football final. While Tyrone were magnificent, Kerry have not received enough credit for ensuring a superb contest.
Low point: Mayo's failure to build on the success of last year. They actually went backwards, maybe there was not enough freshness and after defeat to Galway everything crumbled around them.
Most memorable sporting event attended: I was in Murrayfield for Ireland's 40-13 victory over Scotland during the Six Nations. It was before the performances began to dip and the day ended perfectly with a fellow Mayoman (Gavin Duffy) crossing for a try.
Bill O'Herlihy
High point: As a hugely tribal Corkman it had to be the All-Ireland hurling final. It should have completed the three in a row as I felt we threw it away in 2003 by making mistakes Kilkenny would never make. And they punished us. This year, though, they were outstanding at times and thoroughly deserved the Liam MacCarthy Cup.
Low point: Not qualifying for the World Cup. It goes back to the Israeli games when we failed to pick up the six points that would have at least put us into the play-offs. Bad tactical decisions and a lack of substitutions cost us dearly. We could have rejigged the team differently in the absence of Roy Keane and the young Sunderland striker Stephen Elliott should have been used more.
Most memorable sporting event attended: I'm one of these extraordinary guys who works in sport but never goes to anything because I'm always back in the studio. I have covered every World Cup and Olympics since Munich in 1972, but never been to anything. Next year I'm finally breaking that duck by anchoring the Ryder Cup so I'll be based in the K Club.
Ger Gilroy
High point: Seán Óg Ó hAilpín's point against Waterford. It was his first championship point, but there was also some incredible footage from behind the goal that sees him gather possession and continuing on in a straight line without breaking stride. The camera then follows the ball right over the bar. There were other moments, like Brian Corcoran's goal, but that is when they won the All-Ireland. It wasn't really a vintage year, but Kicking King coming back at Cheltenham was also memorable. I didn't back him though.
Low point: Not making the substitutions against Israel at home. Two-nil up and Robbie Keane gets injured. He is replaced by Graham Kavanagh with Damien Duff put up front. (Graham) Kavanagh should have started and (Kevin) Kilbane shouldn't have. Wales v Ireland at the Millennium Stadium also disappointed because of the lack of fight.
Most memorable sporting event attended: The hollow silence of the Lansdowne Road crowd when the referee blew the full-time whistle 30 seconds early against Switzerland. They stood there for a few seconds, then shrugged their shoulders and shuffled out. The absence of any drama was the most memorable thing. I missed the Galway v Kilkenny game so I can't use that.
Brian Whelahan
High point: The courageous decision by Congress to give the option of opening up Croke Park for rugby and soccer when Lansdowne Road is being redeveloped. It was a huge step forward by the GAA and they will reap the benefits in the years to come. This year's hurling championship was also a huge success with several great games, including the Leinster final between Kilkenny and Wexford.
Low point: The GAA decision not to seek the rights to name players in the new Sony Playstation game. It shows that apathy among the GAA hierarchy still exists regarding player welfare, which is a pity considering all the strides recently made regarding the issue. It was also a hugely disappointing year for Offaly hurling with the defeat to Carlow in the league and drubbing by Kilkenny particularly low moments.
Most memorable sporting event attended: I really enjoyed the All-Ireland final. It was a great occasion this year and it is always great to see the place full to the brim, except of course for the misplaced tickets, which was a real egg-on-your-face moment from an administration perspective. Going to Malawi in Africa with the Self Help charity was also special.
Pat Rabbitte (Leader Labour party)
High point: Galway v Kilkenny, the All-Ireland hurling semi-final was an absolutely stunning display of hurling. For one, it signified the emergence of Ger Farragher at senior level after an outstanding three-year minor career.
Low point: I was in Cork last week and the people reminded me of their prowess. The hurling final was disappointing from a Galway perspective, but not qualifying for the World Cup, because it was such a narrow margin, was another real disappointment. Shamrock Rovers getting relegated was also a shame.
Most memorable sporting event attended: For about eight minutes in the Dublin/Tyrone All-Ireland quarter-final you got to experience the real acoustics of Croke Park. Unfortunately it was all too brief, but to hear those noise levels made it worth being there. The atmosphere for the Tyrone and Armagh semi-final was also an experience. As mentioned, the Galway and Kilkenny game was magnificent stuff.
Mark Lawrenson
High point: For me, all three moments are mixed into that special night in Istanbul when Liverpool won the Champions League final. At half-time, I was sitting there feeling extremely embarrassed. Friends of mine had come over on a private plane and at half-time they rang the pilot to tell him to prepare for departure - on the mindset that they didn't want to see Liverpool get done by five or six goals. En route to the airport a phone call came in that it was 3-1 but they carried on until word came it was 3-2. They headed back to the stadium. Another magic moment was Tiger Woods chipping in at the 16th on Sunday at the Masters in Augusta. The ball would have to show the Nike Swoosh before dropping into the hole - they couldn't have planned it better themselves.
Low point: How far Chelsea are ahead of everybody else. Not only points but financially and in their forward thinking; it leaves them set up for years to come. Good luck to them but the Man Uniteds and Liverpools cannot possibly get close to them in the foreseeable future, which is hardly good for the game in general.
Most memorable sporting event attended: Dealt with this already. I was talking to Sven (Goran Eriksson) recently and he said you will never witness anything like it again.
Risteard Cooper
High point: The "live" row between Bill, Eamon and Liam over Keano. The animosity between them was fascinating television as they were all in classic caricature mode. Bill O'Herlihy stirring it up and classic Dunphy in response. It was almost as if the whole country didn't already know Eamon's opinion of Keane so he made them perfectly clear once more and Liam saying, "I don't need to take that from you". Along with Marty Morrissey commentating on the International Rules, it supplied us with loads of material for our Après Match Christmas special.
Low point: My re-enactment of the above. Seriously though, Ireland's performance against Australia last month at Lansdowne Road. It's the first time I've seen them play like that in almost 10 years. It wasn't even a sporting spectacle and the lack of fire and brimstone was staggering.
Most memorable sporting event attended: I was over at the Lions tour making a documentary with Hector (Ó hÉochagáin) so the build-up to the first Test in Christchurch. The anticipation on the street and in the local media was incredible. I had never seen such intensity on the pitch, the players just fired into each other and hearing the impact of flesh was amazing. Of course, it was extremely anti-climactic from a Lions supporter's point of view. People complained about the weather, but curiously the Maori gods only opened the skies for an hour before and after the game. Clive Woodward's reaction to this was also memorable: "Even without the rain I knew it was going to be wet."
Jimmy Deenihan
High point: The All-Ireland football final. For sheer entertainment value and high skill levels it was the best decider in recent times. Although Kerry lost the game they got great scores, but Tyrone's performance was particularly excellent. Peter Canavan had a major influence but I admired Stephen O'Neill in particular for the way he carried himself. Even when he was unfairly sent off in the Ulster final, the composure he displayed by leaving the pitch immediately and just sitting down on the sideline marks him out from other players. I have tremendous regard for a player who shows such behaviour. A genuine role model.
Low point: Ireland not qualifying for the World Cup, especially in the aftermath of the Swiss game at Lansdowne Road. Both the team and the Irish fans have always distinguished themselves at major competitions. It was a bigger downer than the Lions tour as there are major implications for Irish tourism.
Most memorable sporting event attended: The atmosphere at Croke Park for the All-Ireland final was special as both sets of supporters arrived in positive form, the stadium itself holds the sound well and the weather was favourable on the day.
