No answer came the IRFU's stern replyThe silence from 62 Lansdowne Road and Pat Whelan is deafeningTue Apr 28 1998 - 01:00
Shannon are the side of the centuryHats off. Shannon's status brooks no arguments now, for not only did they prove themselves the best side of the 1990s with this…Mon Apr 27 1998 - 01:00
Dublin awaits the clash of the Limerick TitansStrictly speaking, this could be interpreted as the biggest club game in the history of Irish rugbySat Apr 25 1998 - 01:00
Gatland signs on with added responsibilitiesAnother era, of sorts, dawned on Irish rugby yesterday when the IRFU finally confirmed that Warren Gatland has been appointed…Sat Apr 25 1998 - 01:00
Wanderers are relegatedOn what must constitute the lowest day in their history, Wanderers were yesterday condemned to relegation from the AIL second…Sat Apr 25 1998 - 01:00
All quiet on alleged rowNeither Pat Whelan, the Irish team manager until his resignation on Tuesday, nor Tom English, the Sunday Times rugby writer, …Fri Apr 24 1998 - 01:00
IRFU to confirm Gatland as coachAlmost three weeks after the conclusion of the Five Nations' Championship, it is expected that Warren Gatland will be formally…Fri Apr 24 1998 - 01:00
A volunteer grown wearyWhen Pat Whelan wakes up this morning, his sense of relief will probably outstrip any misgivings or regrets he may have about…Thu Apr 23 1998 - 01:00
Finalists delay naming sidesShannon have delayed the selection of their side to defend the club's AIB League crown in Saturday's historic final against fellow…Wed Apr 22 1998 - 01:00
Wanderers stand firmThe clearest indication yet that Wanderers are about to pay the ultimate price for the cancellation of their concluding AIL Division…Tue Apr 21 1998 - 01:00
When is a league not a league?A couple of misgivings remain about the knock-out denouement to the AIB League, and not unexpectedly they reside largely in Limerick…Tue Apr 21 1998 - 01:00
Garryowen brush aside lumbering MunstersWell, as the saying goes, if Mohammed won't go to the mountain then bring the mountain to MohammedMon Apr 20 1998 - 01:00
Shannon stirred and forced to dig deeperTraditionalists, diehards and ostriches alike will have a hard job knocking the semi-final format after Saturday's memorable …Mon Apr 20 1998 - 01:00
IRFU mum on WanderersFollowing their executive meeting last night, the IRFU declined to make any statement regarding the cancellation of the Wanderers…Sat Apr 18 1998 - 01:00
Shannon, Garryowen hold advantageLimerick will again assume its customary position as the heartbeat of the Irish club game this weekend when it breaks yet newer…Wed Apr 15 1998 - 01:00
Irish unchanged for deciderNot surprisingly, the Irish schools' team to play England in a Triple Crown decider in Stourbridge, Wolverhampton, on Saturday…Wed Apr 15 1998 - 01:00
Leinster Cup draw throws up venue headache for LansdowneThe draw for the Heineken Leinster Senior Cup was made in Lansdowne RFC yesterday and, after a slight hiccup in identifying the…Wed Apr 15 1998 - 01:00
Merrion to run and runWell, there's another fine mess partly of the IRFU's own makingTue Apr 14 1998 - 01:00
Old Crescent's destiny decided by penalty tryIt left a bad taste, especially as Old Crescent's Division One status hinged on it, but there was somehow fitting that a decision…Mon Apr 13 1998 - 01:00
Deferred match stirs up stormThe fate of Malone and Bective Rangers, as well as that of Wanderers, hinges on the Division Two game between Wanderers and Buccaneers…Mon Apr 13 1998 - 01:00
Semi-final places give league a totally new edgeRadios and calculators at the ready then. Come 4.00 or thereabouts, there will be no turning back and no second chancesSat Apr 11 1998 - 01:00
Crowning victory as green line holds firmIt may not be a team of all the talents, their season had the humblest of beginnings and this was, by no means, a classic, but…Sat Apr 04 1998 - 01:00
Irish need to find spirit of Paris to restore prideTime to peer over the settee again? Never mind last year's record 40-pointer, and in Dublin at that, on a line through New Zealand…Sat Apr 04 1998 - 01:00
Fortune should favour brave ClongowesThis weekend being a veritable feast, the gluttonous among us can head back for a second helping of a Lansdowne Road occasion…Sat Mar 21 1998 - 00:00
Ireland to deliver in close encounterNow comes the hard part. Going to Paris in a nothing-to-lose scenario was, relatively speaking, the easy partSat Mar 21 1998 - 00:00
Gibbs out but Wood 'okay'Ireland received distinctly more uplifting news than Wales yesterday regarding updates on two of the bulwarks of the Lions' tour…Thu Mar 19 1998 - 00:00
Renewed Ireland expect to performCellotaped to the wall in the Irish squad's tv/video room are a sample of the nearly 1,500 faxed messages of goodwill which have…Sat Mar 07 1998 - 00:00
Gatland keeps card up his sleeveThe Irish management brought forward their team announcement for Saturday's game against France by 24 hours yesterday, but are…Wed Mar 04 1998 - 00:00
An older Costello grows into the jobAs a hooded, heavily-wrapped and ashen-faced Eric Miller made for the front door at the Castletroy Hotel, who should he stop …Wed Mar 04 1998 - 00:00
Provinces to issue over 100 contractsIreland will have a pool of well over 100 professional players next season after the IRFU yesterday finally pledged its commitment…Sat Feb 28 1998 - 00:00
London Irish shaken but stirred"This is a potentially big club, but one in seemingly permanent disarray and disunity," went one of the descriptions of Manchester…Sat Feb 21 1998 - 00:00
`This one's for Willie'In spite, rather than because, of the events of the last few days, London Irish recorded only their second league win of the …Sat Feb 21 1998 - 00:00
McMahon provides the spark that ignites late Shannon winThey cut it fine enough, don't they always, but Shannon got there againMon Feb 16 1998 - 00:00
Garryowen look to key players to test ShannonAiling if not quite crippled, Irish rugby can discard its metaphorical crutches this weekend with recuperative visits to more…Sat Feb 14 1998 - 00:00
Return to league action is welcome distractionRoll on the AIB All-Ireland LeagueWed Feb 11 1998 - 00:00
Changes should be kept to minimumSometimes the sporting line between inglorious failure and glorious success is ridiculously fineTue Feb 10 1998 - 00:00
Where do we go from here?After what must have been a restless night's sleep, during which no amount of the black stuff would have softened the postmatch…Mon Feb 09 1998 - 00:00
Irish caught in vicious circleIt wouldn't be half so bad if Scotland had truly won this gameMon Feb 09 1998 - 00:00
The one that got awayAfter A calamitous start, the Irish A team endured one of the most frustrating 80 minutes imaginable at a sodden Donnybrook yesterday…Sat Feb 07 1998 - 00:00
English try to lure MurphyIn what could be a decidedly embarrassing turn of events for the IRFU, the one-time Naas player Geordan Murphy is being encouraged…Sat Feb 07 1998 - 00:00
Ashton accentuates the positiveThe Irish squad completed their preparations and began the countdown to tomorrow's opening Five Nations tie against Scotland …Fri Feb 06 1998 - 00:00
Balanced back row will shore up defenceA no news day is a good day for in the Irish campThu Feb 05 1998 - 00:00
McIvor called up as replacementGarryowen scrum-half Stephen McIvor has been named on the replacements' bench for Ireland's Five Nations opener against Scotland…Tue Feb 03 1998 - 00:00
Plus ca change upholds traditionHas the Five Nations lost a little of its lustre? Can it really be endangered by the possibility of an Anglo-French breakaway…Tue Feb 03 1998 - 00:00
