Eli Manning led his side to a second Superbowl
New York Giants win the Superbowl
There was a sense of inevitability surrounding the Superbowl in February. The Giants. The Patriots. In the Superbowl. Again. History repeating itself? After beating the Dallas Cowboys to wrangle a low seeding in the playoffs, the giant-killing Giants saw off the number 1 seed Packers before and set up a replay of the 2007/08 Superbowl against rivals, the New England Patriots. Although this game was a little less spectacular than their former encounter, Eli Manning’s precision passing and a tough defence led by Jason Pierre-Paul saw the Giants to their fourth Superbowl.
Ronnie O’Sullivan takes his third World Championship
This one probably passed under the radar a little bit. Ronnie O’Sullivan, the most naturally talented player that snooker has ever seen, the record holder for maximum breaks, a ferocious attacking force, demolished Ali Carter in the final of a great World Championships of snooker. O’Sullivan bagged only his third world title, before being voted player of the year and receiving an induction into the Snooker Hall of Fame. In a career overshadowed by personal problems and indifference to competition, seeing O’Sullivan mesmerise his opponents is a joy too rarely seen; this was one of the best performances, from the best player in the game.
Roger Federer is Timeless
When Andy Murray won the first set 6-4, the majority of the Wimbledon crowd were beginning to believe that it may actually happen this time. Roger Federer, at 31 years old, proved that class is permanent. Finesse, flair, style and skill are a few of the words that have followed the Swiss legend throughout his career. One that has cropped up more recently is grit. Federer dug out a 3-1 win over World Number 1, Novak Djokovic, to put him on centre court for the final day of Wimbledon, and once he got stuck in, his superior talent shone, and he left with a seventh title.
Henry Shefflin was the star for the imperious Kilkenny side
Kilkenny Show Their Class
When Kilkenny lost the Leinster Championship to Galway, most people in the know tipped the Cats to come back and win the All-Ireland. In Kilkenny, hurling is lifeblood and to win is to breathe. A showdown in September is as inevitable as people disliking budgets. Kilkenny are old dogs for the hard road. Brian Cody has drilled a team to win, to win with passion, to win with determination and to win with immense ability. When Kilkenny found themselves against Galway in the All-Ireland Final, the black and amber matched them stroke for stroke, and it took a last minute Joe Canning free-puc to force a replay. When they met for a third time, the game was never in doubt. Another remarkable title in the storied history of Kilkenny hurling.
Manchester City Win the PL
The hair stood up on my neck when Martin Tyler screamed “Agueroooooooo!” True enough it was the diminutive Argentinian who provided the killer blow which gifted Manchester City the Premier League trophy, in the most exciting final day of football witnessed since the League’s inception. Some say United lost it when they drew 4-4 with Everton. Others say City won it when Kompany rose highest to silence their Manchester neighbours. Whichever way you look at it, with a last-minute piledriver from Aguero, City were champions in dramatic fashion.
Vettel Makes it Three in a Row
The most open Formula 1 season in years whittled its way down to a dramatic two horse race; Fernando Alonso, the veteran two-time world champion, and Sebastian Vettel, the young German sensation who had captured the Championship in the two previous years. In the end, Vettel’s superior car and driving ability saw him claim his third consecutive Championship in a spellbinding season for the breakneck sport.
Donegal saw off Mayo for their first All Ireland title
Donegal Claim the All-Ireland
In the far northwest of the country, the dulcet tones of “Jimmy’s Winning Matches” will ring out for years to come. The transformation of Donegal football was completed in September, when Michael Murphy’s team fended off Mayo, for their first All-Ireland Football Championship. When Jim McGuinness took over, Donegal were being laughed out of the Ulster Championship on a regular basis. With practice and trust in a negative footballing system, they overcame their provincial rivals in 2011, but were ultimately beaten at the semi-final by champions, Dublin. This year, a stronger commitment to attack, and counter-attack, brought them the most coveted prize in football. With many stars in their ranks, their glory days may just be beginning.
Women’s Cross Country Team take Gold
In the snows of Budapest in December, the Irish women’s cross country team made history. Spearheaded by Fionnuala Britton, the Irish claimed gold in both the individual race and the team event, in what was undoubtedly one of the greatest days in Irish athletics. Britton ran a smooth race, quite clearly at the top of her game, and saw off stiff competition from Portugal’s Ana Dulce Felix to bring home the only medals for Ireland at the European Cross Country Championships.
Leinster are Number 1 in Europe
The prominence of Irish club rugby was seen this year with the first ever Heineken Cup Final featuring two Irish teams. On the day it was the top ranked team in Europe, Leinster, who got the better of Northern side Ulster by a margin of 42-14. Although this was not the classic encounter of the year before, when Leinster overturned Northampton Saints, it was as controlled, calm and dominating a performance as we have seen from Leinster. Perhaps more exciting was the dramatic win against Clermont Auvergne in the semi-final. With three Heineken Cup trophies in four years it would be unfair to call Leinster anything other than the best side in European rugby.
Spain Win third Major Tournament
The Spanish national football team won the European Championship in 1964. The following thirty years saw Spain become all too familiar with the doldrums of international football. Guilty of gross underachievement in those years, Spain re-emerged as a legitimate footballing threat in the late 90’s and early 00’s. Spain came to our attention when Gaizka Mendieta knocked Ireland out of the World Cup in 2002. They came to the global forum over the next ten years winning the World Cup in 2010, and European Championships in 2008 and 2012. An array of dynamos take the field for La Roja these days and through sublime passing and finishing, this iteration is arguably the greatest international team ever. With four goals against Italy in the final of the Euros, Spain cemented their place atop the football world rankings, and they don’t look like slowing down.
Rory McIlroy won 3 points from 5 in this year’s Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup; The Miracle in Medinah
Consider the situation. The final day of the most prestigious team golf event in the world, your team are four points down, and you need to win eight of the twelve on offer. Improbable? Highly. Impossible? Apparently not. Peter Hansen rallying from five down, only to be beaten, Justin Rose edging Phil Mickelson in the best match of the day, and Martin Kaymer sinking the dramatic putt on the last all played a part in the European team overcoming the biggest final day deficit ever.
Katie Taylor and the Irish boxers inspire at the Olympics
At this stage it’s the most clichéd Irish sports story of the year, but in all honesty it wouldn’t have been 2012 without mentioning the Olympics, and more particularly the performance of the Irish boxing squad. Boxing has always been a source of medals for Ireland at the Olympics, and this installation was no different. Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlan both secured bronze medals, while John Joe Nevin was the best of Ireland’s men, leaving with a silver in the bantamweight division. It was in the women’s lightweight division that our greatest success rang through; a gold medal for Wicklow’s Katie Taylor in the sport she worked so hard to bring to the Olympics. A great success at the first time of asking, and hopefully many more to come for Ireland’s pugilists.
