July
Jean Van De Velde watched his third shot to the 18th drop into the burn in front of the green, eventually taking seven at the par four and losing a subsequent play-off to Scotland's Paul Lawrie (American Justin Leonard was also involved). Sergio Garcia wins the Murphy's Irish Open. GAA issue all umpires with vouchers for Specsavers following the goal that wasn't (Gerry Murphy) in the Kerry-Tipperary football match. Cork, Kilkenny, Galway and Antrim win the provincial hurling finals, Mayo and Cork footballers triumph in Connacht and Munster. Clare's aversion to winning first time out resurfaces in the All-Ireland quarter-final against Galway: they win the replay. Pete Sampras wins a sixth Wimbledon, Steffi Graf brings down the curtain on a glorious Wimbledon career by losing to Lindsay Davenport. Lance Armstrong pays tribute to "the glories of modern medicine" after winning another tarnished Tour de France. David Coulthard is offered a lucrative new contract on the dodgem circuit after rear-ending Mika Hakkinen in the Austrian Grand Prix. The Scot finishes second behind Eddie Irvine.
August
An emotional Steffi Graf retires from tennis claiming, "I've lost my desire." She later rediscovers passion, albeit for new beau Andre Agassi. Michael Johnson shatters the 400 metres world record when winning a fourth consecutive World Championship in Seville. Spain are left fuming that they did not file Sergio Garcia's entry for the triple jump at the championships after watching his superb performance following that glorious six iron shot in the final round of the USPGA Championship, won by Tiger Woods. Linford Christie fails a drug test, as does Merlene Ottey. Leicester send defender Frank Sinclair on an orientation course after he scores his second injury time own goal in a week. Coventry sign Robbie Keane for £6 million, Davor Suker and Thierry Henry join Arsenal and Chris Sutton turns up at Chelsea. Ruud Gullit gets indigestion and attacks Rennie, referee Uriah Rennie. Two weeks later he resigns as Newcastle boss. Armagh and Meath win the Ulster and Leinster football titles, but it is Cork and Meath who head for the All-Ireland final. The greedy Leesiders double-book the hotel for September when the hurlers follow suit: they would face Kilkenny. Padraig Harrington shows nerves of steel to clinch his place on the Ryder Cup team alongside fellow Irishman Darren Clarke.
September
The USA conga interrupts the Ryder Cup match and Jose Maria Olazabal has to wait five minutes before trying to follow Justin Leonard into the hole on the 17th green. Sam Torrance is disgusted by the Americans' behaviour but the Yanks don't care as they conjure the greatest comeback in the history of the event, also breaking the record for the most blonde wives/girlfriends. Cork's attempt to grab all the silverware is dashed when Meath win the football with the Liam McCarthy Cup heading for Leeside. The Republic of Ireland's decision to defend behind the pitch hoardings cost them dearly, suffering a Suker punch in injury time against Croatia. This followed a superb victory over Yugoslavia three days earlier. Kleenex offer to sponsor Mika Hakkinen after he bursts into tears at the Italian Grand Prix, Greg Rusedski takes the company up on their offer as he sobs his way through explaining away two match-points blown against Todd Martin in the US Open. Agassi wins his second Grand Slam with Serena Wiliams defeating Hingis.
October
Ireland's Rugby World Cup resembled a wild cardiograph, sadly more Jekyll and Hyde. Lens will be forever remembered as the graveyard of Irish pretensions. Argentina and Fiji lifted the tournament, France's victory over New Zealand rescued it, while Australia's triumph was a reward for pragmatic excellence. Patrick Vieira did not kill anyone at the West Ham match but he got sent off, spat at Neil Ruddock and verbally assaulted a policeman. Frank Lebouef, pot salesman, labels the Premiership, the "dirtiest league in the world." Macedonian FA are looking to buy all the t-shirts that the FAI had from a previous campaign "I had a Macedonian on it," following their injury-time equaliser that prevents Ireland from clinching an automatic place in the European 2000 finals. Ireland head for the playoffs and a clash with Turkey while England and Scotland are drawn together. US Open champion Payne Stewart is tragically killed in a plane crash. Manchester United and Chelsea win the Lada Qualification process for the second phase of the Champions League. Arsenal crumble. Ireland suffer death by profligacy against Spain to go out of the Dunhill Cup. Eddie Irvine and Michael Schumacher are disqualified from the Malaysian Grand Prix but are reinstated because . . .
November
Turkey take great delight from a late equaliser at Lansdowne Road and then thrash Mick McCarthy's men 0-0 in the second leg of the Euro 2000 play-off in some place that neither Phileas Fogg nor Michael Palin have been to. All Blacks sensation Jonah Lomu is linked with Bristol, London Irish and, well, just about anyone with a decent overdraft: decides to stay in New Zealand. Burger King in Bangor announce record profits following Ulster's signing of 20 st Fijian international Joeli Veitayaki. Lennox Lewis beats Evander Holyfield to become the undisputed - well at least fairly undisputed - World heavyweight champion. England beat Scotland at Hampden Park but the Scots get their own back at Wembley. They can't prevent Kevin Keegan's men from advancing. South Africans install a swing door on the England changing-room to facilitate the visiting batsmen en route to a crushing first Test victory. Manchester United achieve global domination by winning in Toyko.
December
Munster complete a series of superb victories in the European rugby Cup with a fourth successive victory, Leinster also enjoy their moments and Connacht win a match. Referees are to be awarded handbags by the GAA to defend themselves following a row at a women's football match. Na Fianna, Crossmaglen, Crossmolina and the students of UCC grab the headlines in the provincial club football finals. Leboeuf enjoys a little foot stamp tantrum against Leeds en route to an early shower. Injury forces Richard Dunwoody to retire from racing, and ill fortune probably makes Ireland boss Mick McCarthy wish he had chosen a similar route following a `testing' draw for the 2002 World Cup finals. Muhammad Ali voted Sportsman of the Century.
