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Change of tactics sees Spurs get it half right

SOCCER/Tottenham 4 Burnley 1:TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR should get their chance to try to retain the English League Cup at Wembley. Such a statement will be scoffed at primarily by their fans. It is impossible for them to take anything for granted in the return leg at Turf Moor when their side is still in a volatile state.

City's owner topples Abramovich

SOCCER:MANCHESTER CITY'S hugely wealthy owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan has toppled Roman Abramovich to head British football's rich list.

Suspended Jennings to miss Wasps showdown

RUGBY:IRELAND AND Leinster flanker Shane Jennings will miss his side's critical round five Heineken Cup Pool match against London Wasps on January 17th and the final pool game in Dublin against Edinburgh seven days later following last night's IRFU Disciplinary Panel decision.

McCarthy awaits decision

THERE MAY be no give just yet in the Mexican stand-off between the 2008 Cork hurling panel, county board and reappointed management team, but Gerald McCarthy stated yesterday he expects an announcement from the executive later this week.

Gilroy ready to assume reins

PAT GILROY is expected to take control of the Dublin footballers to face Mick O'Dwyer's Wicklow in Parnell Park this Sunday, after the new manager returns from a week of training and familiarisation with an extended panel in La Manga on Saturday.

Gilligan to carry on for another season

CLARE STAR Niall Gilligan has confirmed he will be hurling for the Banner County in 2009 after deciding to prolong his intercounty career by another season.

Carr says anti-Ulster agenda inspired changes

DOWN: Senior football manager Ross Carr has launched a scathing attack on the GAA's new experimental playing rules, claiming they are designed to halt the success of Ulster teams.

Cullen and Dempsey back in the frame

LEINSTER COACH Michael Cheika has named an extended 28- man squad that includes Leo Cullen and Girvan Dempsey ahead of Saturday's Magners League match against Cardiff at the RDS. Cullen hasn't played since damaging a shoulder that subsequently required surgery during the province's Heineken Cup clash with Wasps at the RDS in October.

Wasps may not be able to hold on to players

THE UNCERTAINTY surrounding the contractual future of several Wasps players shows little sign of easing, with a dozen squad members believed to be unhappy at the club's reluctance to negotiate new deals. As well as Danny Cipriani and James Haskell, fellow England internationals Tom Rees, Riki Flutey and Dave Walder are among those still to agree terms, and there is increasing interest from other clubs, who are now free to hold talks with the players.

Drogheda give players deadline on offer

DROGHEDA UNITED officials and players were last night embroiled in a stand-off over the issue of unpaid wages and bonuses which could spell the end of the club's efforts to avoid bankruptcy and maintain their League of Ireland status.

Tevez camp try to limit the damage

Derby C v Manchester U:CARLOS TEVEZ and his representatives embarked on a damage-limitation exercise yesterday aimed at sparing him any disciplinary action from Manchester United and convincing Alex Ferguson the Argentina forward was prepared to wait until the end of the season, if necessary, to finalise his long-term future, following a candid interview last week.

Arsenal in talks over Arshavin

ZENIT ST Petersburg have confirmed talks are taking place with Arsenal regarding a deal for Andrei Arshavin.

McGeady won't be appealing after all

CELTIC MIDFIELDER Aiden McGeady has decided not to appeal against the fine and first-team suspension imposed on him for his dressingroom bust-up with manager Gordon Strachan.

SOCCER SHORTS

Today's other stories in brief

Unfavourable forecast forces Thurles to inspect this morning

TOMORROW'S MEETING at Thurles will have to pass a 9am inspection this morning if it is to go ahead. Officials were forced to bring the inspection forward due to an unfavourable weather forecast

Olazabal aiming to emulate Ballesteros

GOLF/ROYAL TROPHY:JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL is confident of a debut victory as captain of Europe at this week's Royal Trophy but said an Asian upset awaits if there are any slip-ups by the holders.

A soap opera without the sex

ONE FROM THE ARCHIVES THE DARTS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, JANUARY 1998: Tom Humphrieswas at Purfleet to witness the English working class's annual celebration - darts,
beer, bellies and ONE-HUNNERD AND EIGHT-EEE

Galway girl who will always find way back

HOME AND AWAY/CIARA MURPHY:Ciara Murphy is a law graduate from Trinity College, Dublin. She has played hockey for Old Alexandra, Trinity and Stade Français in Paris. She is now studying in Bruges, Belgium, and playing for Gantoise HC in Ghent in the Belgium league. She talks to Johnny Watterson

Sully's explosive power well suited to rugby field

Mark Roddentalks to legendary Cork full back Diarmuid O'Sullivan about his decision to join Highfield and finally try his hand at rugby

Murray more poised on and off the court

TENNIS:ANDY MURRAY began the year's ATP Tour circuit like a man wealthy in personal qualities as well as in dollars. It was with almost oceanic calm that he strode to a straight-sets win over Albert Montanes, a competent top-50 Spaniard, and with quiet urbanity that he slipped away towards the twinkling skyscrapers which comprise this spectacularly developing oil-and-gas-generated city.