The start of the National Football League is a little reminder that the longer days are just around the corner. I think we deserve a hot summer in ‘09 to cheer us up and make us feel good about ourselves in these straightened times. Well, the temperature is certainly high in Melbourne and the mercury will rise even more for the Men’s Singles final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

The Spaniard came through a marathon five-set semi-final on Friday, and with Federer having an extra day’s rest, the odds might seem to favour the Swiss player. The latter is slight favourite at 4/6, with Nadal 11/10. Can we expect a final equally as enthralling as the one served up (excuse the pun) at SW19? Early risers will certainly hope so on this side of the world – with Federer likely to have that extra resolve to add another Grand Slam in his efforts to surpass the record of Pete Sampras. All sports fans should simply sit back and enjoy.

GAA Fans Rejoice

With inter-county teams prohibited from training in the months of November and December, don’t be surprised if surprising results are the order of the day in the opening round of the Allianz Football Leagues. In recent years, the competition has proven to be an interesting barometer for what happens later in the summer.

ndeed, the Ladbrokes quote of 3/1 for the All Ireland winners to also have bagged the Division 1 title, is worth considering. Tyrone manager Mickey Harte has intimated that he would like to win all the honours this year and are 9/1 for themselves and the Kilkenny hurlers to win their respective League crowns. Kerry, under Jack O’Connor, for the second time, will be keen to signal their intent right from the off.  At this remove, it is hard to see Sam Maguire spending next winter in any place other than Tyrone or Kerry.

And so to this weekend’s matches, where Derry (13/8), Westmeath (3/2) can claim victories in Division 1, while Cork, Monaghan, Laois & Wexford (all to win) can be taken as an accumulative bet in Division 2.

Listen to live commentary of Dublin v Tyrone from 7.30pm on RTÉ Radio LW & DAB

Listen to live commentaries and reports on all the Allianz League action on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1 from 2.00pm.

Highlights on RTÉ Two television from 7.oopm on Sunday Sport.

Do Liverpool look capable of arresting their latest slide? They have drifted out to 7/1 for the Premier League and defeat on Sunday against Chelsea would probably end their chances. While much has been said about Rafa’s treatment of Robbie Keane, what’s more of interest is Liverpool’s lack of a scoring threat. Only for Steven Gerrard, the Pool could very well be cast adrift at this point of the season. Rafa is a cautious manager, but the bulk of Premier League have been won by teams (Man Utd & Arsenal) with an adventurous approach.

Rafa, is a stubborn man, and his philosophy on the game is quite rigid. With all the other off the ball stuff circulating around, who’s to say the Spaniard won’t be in charge come the start of next season. It’s probably 50/50 that he may have moved on.

Chelsea could put a further nail in the coffin on Sunday and are 2/1 to do so. Manchester United are at home to Everton, and the Toffees will make it difficult, but United have seen to have upped the gears in recent weeks and could quite easily go through the rest of the season unbeaten. In other games I go for Stoke (9/4) to see off Manchester City; Portsmouth (12/5) to nick a point away to Fulham and Middlesborough (6/4) to get back on the winning track against Blackburn.

Watch Premier Soccer Saturday on RTÉ Two from 9.00pm/Premier Soccer Sunday on RTÉ Two from 9.55

Cheltenham and Leopardstown dominate the racing schedules this weekend and both are covered extensively on the box. Ladbrokes have an incentive for punters to take an early price of 3/1 or more at Prestbury Park. And so Paul Nicholls’ Nozic (5/1) in the Cotswold Chase is a fancy, but Roll Along, trained by Carl Llewellyn (7/1) also has his supporters and is likely to appreciate the soft ground.

At Leopardstown, the Toshiba Champion is the highlight at Leopardstown on Sunday. Brave Inca is the current market leader at 13/8, and while positive soundings have been emerging all week from that camp, Sublimity at 5/2 looks the most likely and is perhaps the only Irish runner who can upset the ’short priced’ Binocular in the Smurfit Champion hurdle on 10 March.   

In the Irish Arkle, only five go to the post. Willie Mullins’ Golden Silver, with the rising star Paul Townend in the saddle, gets a tentative vote here.  Oliver McKiernan’s Follow The Plan was a nice winner at Leopardstown over Christmas, defeating Arkle favourite Tatenen in the process. Sunday’s race will tell us more about his prospects for championship success come March.

Watch racing from Leopardstown on RTÉ One and www.rte.ie/live from 1.35pm.

1.50 The Arkle Perpetual Challenge Cup
2.20 The Foxrock Handicap Steeplechase
2.50 The Toshiba Champion Hurdle
3.25 The Golden Cygnet Hurdle

Heineken Cup

Munster are already guaranteed a place in the quarter-final, but victory against Montauban would ensure a home tie in the last eight.  Much has been said about Munster’s ability to come through tight games and that’s what might be required again against their opponents who made life difficult for them in Thomond last October.  

Bonus points are always difficult to get in France, but much has been said about the strong ties between the Munster side and its supporters, insofar that the players on the pitch will not want their followers dipping into their pockets to fund an away trip in these straightened times in April.

Leinster take on their bogey side Edinburgh, knowing that victory may not guarantee a quarter-final berth. The province started the competition so brightly, but the 18-15 defeat to Castres showed again how brittle they can be. They will hope that their French conquerors can now do them a favour against Wasps, who are an attractive 10/3 to top the group. One wishes Leinster well, but the confidence levels are never sky high when they have to do what is absolutely required of them.

Watch highlights of Montauban v Munster & Stade Francais v Ulster on RTÉ Two television from 9.30pm on Saturday, 24 January. Leinster v Edinburgh highlights on RTÉ Two television from 8.00pm on Sunday, 25 January.

In the weekend just past, it was a case of ‘close but no cigar’. Bolton nearly hung on for the draw against Manchester United, while Hull, for a short while looked as they might upset the Gunners. Munster, thankfully completed an impressive victory in the Heineken Cup, while Cloudy Lane ran out the winner of the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock.

And as for Master Minded – by God he’s a class horse. The Champion Chase, for which he is 1/3, looks like a formality at this stage. Big Zeb is next in the betting at 12/1.

What’s far from certain is the Thystes Chase at Gowran Park. It’s a race that has produced some decent winners in the past, namely Aintree National winner Hedgehunter. This year’s renewal has another Aintree contender Snowy Morning at the head of the weights. Operation Houdini, who is nicely treated with regard to his burden, is my fancy at 7/1.

The upcoming weekend will see more Cheltenham Festival clues come to light with the Trials Day at Prestbury Park and the Irish Champion Hurdle and Irish Arkle at Leopardstown. More about those anon, but with Denman co-owner stating that the reigning Gold Cup hero is better than ever after his heart problems Festival fever is already starting to grip.

The FA Cup reaches its fourth round stage with a plethora of matches on the box. Manchester United v Tottenham & Liverpool v Everton the standout ties. Sir Alex’s men have become the master of the 1-0 of late and 6/1 is generous odds for them to maintain the sequence against Harry’s outfit. What is surprising to most is that Spurs have not climbed further up the Premier League since Harry’s arrival. They will hope that their £14 million arrivals can produce the required bounce, but I still think they need a solid goalkeeper to replace Gomes. 

At this stage of the season, United can sense a clean sweep of all the domestic trophies and can lay down a marker by sending Tottenham home with their tail firmly between their legs.

The best word I can use to describe Everton FC at the moment is ‘industrious’. They have had many injuries to deal with this season, and funds are not exactly flush around the corridors of Goodison Park. Nevertheless, they deserved their point against Liverpool earlier in the week and will feel that they are well capable of at least taking their neighbours back to their own patch for a replay.

A 0-0 draw is 8/1 and with Torres & Keane not in sync; Stevie Gerrard’s day in court possibly on his mind – the blue half of Merseyside would appear to have some positives going for them. As for Liverpool, two points out of six in the League since Rafa’s rant is a poor return. Rafa’s thinking was no doubt aimed at taking the attention of his squad of players and absorbing it himself. The tactic simply hasn’t worked.

In the other Cup ties, I go for Swansea to upset Portsmouth, Wolves to dispose of sorry Middlesborough and Cardiff to hold Arsenal scoreless up to half-time.