Sport

Your complete guide to all the festive sporting action including TV details

From rugby to darts, there is something for everyone over the Christmas period

RG Snyman will return to Thomond Park with Leinster for the URC meeting with Munster on Friday night. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho
RG Snyman will return to Thomond Park with Leinster for the URC meeting with Munster on Friday night. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho
David Gorman
Mon Dec 23 2024 - 15:40
Rugby

Christmas time is local derby time in club rugby. In Ireland that means Munster host Leinster in the first of the URC interpros on Friday, December 27th, rather than the more typical Stephen’s Day fixture. That game kicks off at 7.35pm at Thomond Park and you can watch it on TG4 and Premier Sports 2. Tickets are all sold out unfortunately. Meanwhile on Saturday, December 28th, Connacht host Ulster in the URC at 7.35pm. You can watch that on RTÉ 2 and Premier Sports 1. There are still tickets available for that one if you fancy attending in person.

Soccer

The Premier League is relentless at this time of year and there is a lot of action from Stephen’s Day. On the 26th and 27th, Premier Sports have full rights to the games in Ireland, while it is on Prime Video in the UK.

So we have got Manchester City against Everton at 12.30pm on Stephen’s Day, a choice of Chelsea against Fulham or Newcastle against Aston Villa at 3pm. At 5pm, Manchester United visit Wolves, while at 8pm league leaders Liverpool take on Leicester at Anfield. On Friday the 27th, Arsenal play Ipswich with a late kick-off of 8.15pm.

[ Two sporting events to watch this week: Your handy guide to sport on television ]

On Sunday the 29th, the Premier League comes back to Sky Sports with Leicester playing Manchester City at 2.30pm and West Ham up against Liverpool at 5.15pm.

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If it is the Championship you prefer, then it’s good news for Ireland’s Leeds contingent with Stoke against Leeds at 8pm on Stephen’s Day, and their game against Derby County at 5.45pm on Sunday. In Scotland, Hearts take on Hibs in the Edinburgh derby at 12.30pm on Stephen’s Day.

Horse Racing

The Leopardstown Festival is on from Thursday to Sunday with four days of top National Hunt racing. RTÉ 2 has coverage every day from 1pm. Tickets are still available for the Dublin racing event, €42.50 for an adult ticket. Here is the schedule.

A view of Leopardstown Racecourse before the races. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
A view of Leopardstown Racecourse before the races. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho

December 26th – Racing Post Chase Day:

  • 12.00pm: TRI Equestrian Maiden Hurdle
  • 12.35pm: Thorntons Recycling Maiden Hurdle
  • 1.10pm: Leopardstown Juvenile Hurdle
  • 1.45pm: Dornan Group Novice Handicap Hurdle
  • 2.20pm: Racing Post Long Distance Novices’ Chase
  • 2.55pm: Racing Post Handicap Chase
  • 3.30pm: Race and Stay INH Flat Race

December 27th – Paddy Power Chase Day:

  • 12.05pm: The Paddy Power I Have No Idea What Day It Is Maiden Hurdle
  • 12.35pm: The Paddy Power From the Horses Mouth Podcast Beginners Chase
  • 1.10pm: The Paddy Power Rewards Club Chase
  • 1.45pm: Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle
  • 2.20pm: Spinal Injuries Ireland Handicap Hurdle
  • 3.00pm: Paddy Power Steeplechase
  • 3.30pm: Paddy Power The Flat One (Bumper)

December 28th – Savills Chase Day:

  • 12.20pm: Savills Maiden Hurdle
  • 12.50pm: Mercedes Benz South Dublin Hurdle
  • 1.20pm: Ballymaloe Relish Rising Stars Beginners Chase
  • 2.00pm: The Savills Hurdle
  • 2.35pm: Savills Chase
  • 3.05pm: Pertemps Handicap Hurdle (0-145)
  • 3.40pm: Midland Legal INH Flat Race

December 29th – December Hurdle Day:

  • 12.10pm: The Grant Fit Out Maiden Hurdle
  • 12.45pm: SIS Supporting Irish Racing Irish EBF Handicap Hurdle
  • 1.20pm: Beat the Bank.ie Irish EBF Mares Hurdle
  • 1.55pm: Adare Manor Handicap Chase
  • 2.30pm: The Neville Hotels Hurdle
  • 3.05pm: Neville Hotels Premier Handicap Hurdle
  • 3.40pm: The Plusvital INH Flat Race
Luke Littler in action at the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace in London. Photograph: Zac Goodwin/PA Wire
Luke Littler in action at the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace in London. Photograph: Zac Goodwin/PA Wire
Darts

The World Darts Championship starts to get serious from Friday onwards with afternoon (12.30pm) and evening sessions (7pm) every day (with a break on New Year’s Eve) until it concludes with the final on January 3rd. Friday to Sunday will be focused on getting through the last 32 of the draw, the last 16 on Monday the 30th, the quarter-finals on New Year’s Day, the semi-finals on January 2nd.

Second seed Michael Smith and multiple champion Gary Anderson have been knocked out, which means a repeat of the two Lukes, Littler and Humphries, could be on the cards. The Irish challenge will be led by Fermanagh’s Brendan Dolan, who takes on one of the other favourites Michael van Gerwen in round three. All will be available to watch on Sky Sports.

Other sports

Netflix will show two NFL games on Christmas Day, the Super Bowl winners Kansas City Chiefs against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens will take on the Houston Texans. NBA has a host of Christmas Day games on too, the pick of which is probably the Lakers against the Warriors at 1am on Stephen’s Day for those that haven’t fallen asleep from their generous Christmas dinner. Those games are on TNT Sports, with more throughout the week, while other NFL games will be on Sky Sports. Australia take on India in a Test match on Stephen’s Day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on TNT Sports, which starts at 11.30pm on Christmas Day.

David Gorman

David Gorman

David Gorman is a sports journalist with The Irish Times