World Cup sofa so good for avoiding traffic

Traffic and travel this weekend sees its author flummoxed as to why anybody would want to move away from their sofas on a weekend that features the quarter-finals of the World Cup.

At 4pm today the you-can-never-write-off-theGermans take on a shirt-swinging, Maradonna-inspired Argentina in what promises to be one of the matches of the tournament.

Later tonight, Italy play Ukraine, which should be another 0-0 thriller unless of course the Azurrimanage to convince the referee they deserve a penalty in the 94th minute.

Tomorrow and the circus that is England takes on a Portugal team who have received more cards than the Cincinnati kid. While Bill O'Herlihy and the boys will enjoy that one, the main event has to be the artistry of Brazil as they take on a rejuvenated French team.

If the World Cup is not your thing, then the big sporting event this weekend is the Budweiser Irish Derby at the Curragh race course in Co Kildare on Sunday.

The Derby Festival will be held over the whole weekend, with racing from 6pm to 9pm tonight, from 2.10pm to 5.15pm on Saturday and 1.30pm to 5.45pm on Sunday. The Derby itself will be run on Sunday at 3.50pm.

This weekend is probably the time to visit Wexford as the county should be deserted because both their hurlers and footballers taking part in a double bill at Croke Park on Sunday.

Croke Part at 2.10pm will see Offaly take on the footballers for the honour of playing the in-form Dubs in the Leinster football final. Later that day the hurlers pitch themselves against the might of Kilkenny for the Leinster final at 4pm.

If you are on the road west this weekend keep an eye out for the Irish Cancer Society Charity Walk from Dublin to Galway.

The walkers, Garda students, started their walk on Wednesday and hope to be completed by Sunday. They are raising money for the Irish Cancer Society so help them out if you can.

Speaking of gardaí, the force will be holding its annual mass at Dardistown Cemetery in Dublin on Sunday. Traffic restrictions will be in place from midday until after the ceremony.

It should also be noted that Sunday is also the final day of the Community Games that will take place at Morton stadium, Santry, so there may be additional traffic congestion in the area.

Weatherwise, it looks like the usual Irish summer conditions are set to continue.

It will be mild tonight with some outbreaks of fog. Tomorrow there will be spells of hazy sunshine with outbreaks of rain. Sunday will be warm and humid with a few showers - some heavy and possibly thundery.