2013 in Sport.

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01/01/2013, 12:41 AM
nigel-harps1954

2013 in Sport.

‎2013 in sport:
Shamrock Rovers reclaim the Premier Division title as Sligos challenge fails epically with a 4th place finish.
Limerick after their stormy start to the season are surprisingly relegated after putting up a tough fight to Bray. Drogheda, a surprise point above just scrape survival while UCD are the surprise package finishing in a European qualification spot.
Finn Harps get promoted in dramatic fashion winning the league on the final day of the season just ahead of Athlone who fail in the play-offs against Bray.
Man Utd throw away a 10 point lead in the Premier League
Real Madrid win the Champions League
Liverpool win the Europa League
Arsene Wegner finally leaves Arsenal at the end of a disappointing season.
Trappatoni resigns as Ireland manager in the summer after a horrid start to the year.
Ireland go the whole year without winning a game.
Donegal embarrasingly get relegated from Div.1 and then lose the Ulster final and All-Ireland quarter.
Kilkenny, of course, win the Hurling.
Andy Murray finally wins Wimbledon
Ireland win the 6 nations Rugby unexpectedly while the Lions get annihilated in Australia.
Sebastial Vettel wins the Formula One drivers title with ease, while Jari-Matti Latvala breaks the Loeb stronghold and wins the WRC Championship.

Simple.
01/01/2013, 9:51 AM
Spudulika

While I know lots of this is hopeful (rather than wishful) thinking, I'd go along with most of it.
I'd back against Murray winning Wimbledon but for him to win a Grand Slam this year. For a 1st time winner of a women's Grand Slam (probably a nation switcher).
I think Athlone will go up, then bang (kind of a trend there I know) and Harps to take their place in the Premier. Also for Longford to challenge for promotion.
I can see a major civil war erupting in Rovers for some silly reason and for Bucko to be taken abroad.
Can see the national team going well this year (surprisingly) and doing Sweden.

The Irish media to turn fully on Katie Taylor and her to go pro by the end of the year.
Ireland winning a Triple Crown but getting cheated out of it by France in a GS decider.

A dozen major drug scandals in sport with football having to own up and do the right thing, but match fixing remaining an unspoken fact as a retired international admits to throwing a match on orders from above.
02/01/2013, 9:14 AM
BonnieShels

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spudulika

A dozen major drug scandals in sport with football having to own up and do the right thing, but match fixing remaining an unspoken fact as a retired international admits to throwing a match on orders from above.

This one I like.

And if it was Barcelona and Spain it will be even better.
04/01/2013, 6:44 PM
Spudulika

It baffles me time and again how nobody really investigates this. When I was working with my old company we had a tennis player who went (against our wishes) to a pro training camp in Spain - she was a tennis player. She was given "supplements" to drink and these contained banned substances. The national olympic council conducted random tests, she was doorstepped and 2 weeks later we were given a heads up that she'd failed. She was banned for 6 months (though it was spun as an injury) and while we made formal complaints to the Spanish federation and also against the trainer who gave her the drink, nothing happened. I know it's not the right thing to say, but it's endemic in Spanish and Italian sports, and nobody wants to do a thing about it.

That being said, I can see lots of room for scandals of such a type, but it'll go the way of athletics, or football, or tennis. A couple of low level sacrifices, a couple of retired confessionals and an ageing name getting caught.