Take a look at this weekend’s top sports fixtures in our Weekend Sporting Diary.
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Check out this weekend’s top sports fixtures in our Weekend Sporting Diary.
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Europe will be vying for a fourth straight Ryder Cup win at the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville Kentucky when play begins on Friday morning. While many of you may be looking forward to a feast of sporting excellence thereafter, I just can’t wait to hear “Get in the hole”, “You da man”, “Be da ball” and all those other little cultural gems America is renowned for.
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Check out this weekend’s top sports fixtures in our Weekend Sporting Diary.

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Plenty of sport to look forward to this weekend. From Bolton to Beijing, you’ll surely find something that tickles your fancy in our weekend sporting diary. Check out all of this weekend’s top fixtures in what promises to be another exciting few days of the sporting calendar.

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Do you remember that kid on the schoolyard football team who was so much bigger and better than everybody else?

Striking fear wherever he roamed, covering every inch of gravel and of course making sure he took all the free kicks… it always made me wonder if these games would be better if they’d just go away. At least then I’d get a touch of the ball! Alas this phenomenon was still alive and well in the action over the weekend. Usain Bolt’s explosive victory in the men’s 100 metres brought this to mind.
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Padraig Harrington became the first European in 78 years to win the USPGA Championship yesterday and the first player since Tiger Woods in 2006 to win back-to-back majors. Harrington’s two-shot win over Sergio Garcia and Ben Curtis at Oakland Hills was hailed as “incredible” by Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen and “a fantastic achievement” by President Mary McAleese.

Sports minister Martin Cullen went even further, proclaiming Harrington to be “Ireland’s greatest-ever sportsman”. I think Roy Keane, Paul McGrath, Jack O’Shea and a few others might have something to say on that one!

Brendan

Not much on sports wise this weekend, only the Olympics, the USPGA Championship, an All Ireland hurling semi final and a couple of football quarter finals, the start of the Coca-Cola Football League Championship, the Eircom Premier League, oh, and the Community Shield! Here’s a little more info on the weekend’s top sporting events.

Friday – 8^th August

Golf - USPGA Championship

The USPGA Championship started yesterday and runs till Sunday at Oakland Hills. Our man Padraig Harrington is still in contention after a topsy turvy first round.

Check out the betting markets on this weekend’s USPGA Championship here.

Eircom Premier League

Cobh Ramblers and Derry City get the weekend’s soccer underway at St Colman’s Park at 7:45pm.

Check out the betting markets on this weekend’s Irish soccer here.

Saturday - 9^th August

The Olympic Games

The Olympic Games got off to a spectacular start at eight minutes past eight Beijing time on Friday. The highlights of the opening weekend should be the men’s 400m Freestyle and the women’s 100m Butterfly events.

Check out the betting markets on the 2008 Beijing Olympics here.

All Ireland Senior Football Championship Quarter Finals

Armagh take on Wexford (2:00pm) before Galway do battle with Kerry (4:00pm) in Croke Park on Saturday. The Orchard men will be strongly fancied to progress as the “Yellow Bellies” still have a number of question marks hanging over their defence.

The Kerry v Galway game on the other hand, is a little more difficult to call. Galway have impressed with their direct style of play this year, but have lost four possible starters due to injury (Joe Bergin, Declan Meehan, Sean Armstrong and Nicky Joyce). That blow and the attacking prowess of the Kingdom may prove decisive.

Check out the betting markets on this weekend’s GAA here.

Coca-Cola Football League Championship

The Coca-Cola Football League Championship kicks off on Saturday at 12:45pm when Birmingham host Sheffield United at St Andrew’s. There are 11 fixtures in all, with Nottingham Forest v Reading on Sunday. Don’t worry; the cold turkey is nearly over.

Sunday - 10^th August

The Community Shield

For the first time in twelve years a team from outside the “big four” of Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool will contest the FA Community Shield, as Portsmouth take on the aforementioned Man U at Wembley on Sunday at 3:00pm. Thanks be, I hear you say. Come on you blues!

Check out the Community Shield betting markets here.

All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Semi Final

Kilkenny face Cork in Croke Park at 4:00pm on Sunday in what should be an absolute cracker. Cork are on a strong run at the moment and with young stars like Cathal Naughton and Shane O’Neill shining, they will be seeking to dash Kilkenny’s dreams of three-in-a-row.

Check out the betting markets on this weekend’s GAA here.

Eircom Premier League

After a narrow 4-3 aggregate defeat at the hands of Dynamo Kiev in the Champion’s League mid-week, Drogheda United will be hoping to bounce back at Richmond Park on Sunday evening when they take on St Patrick’s Athletic (7:00pm).

Check out the betting markets on this weekend’s Irish soccer here.

Brendan