2004 ... month by month

John O'Sullivan takes an overview of the highlights of 2004

January: The weather might have been clement but there was a certain frostiness at Old Trafford when Alex Ferguson unwisely squared up to John Magnier and JP McManus. There wasn't a football in sight, as this was a bloodstock issue that was eventually resolved without too much claret on the carpet.

Swiss phenomenon Roger Federer started the year as he meant to continue, winning the Australian Open, before going on to claim another two slams in Wimbledon and the US Open: his only aberration was demonstrating feet of clay in Paris. Belgian Justine Henin Hardenne grabbed the women's title in Australia and there wasn't a Williams sister in sight, something that would largely prevail for the entire year on the distaff side of tennis.

Leinster's European Cup aspirations came to a shuddering halt in the final round of pool matches when they travelled to Biarritz. It would signal a turbulent six months for the Irish province.

February: Florida Pearl won a fourth Hennessy Gold Cup to huge acclaim, but it would mark the swan song for a horse that cantered its way into a nation's affections as injury would dictate his retirement later in the year.

On the opening day of the National Football League, Longford beat Kerry with a goal in injury-time, while Dublin flattered to deceive with a one-point win over the reigning All-Ireland champions, Tyrone, at Parnell Park. Football occasionally broke out in a game that was long on rancour. The Dubs scored just three points against Mayo the following week, and seven days after that lost to Kerry; it wouldn't be the only time that year.

Leicester goalkeeper Ian Walker was confronted by a fan who wasn't enamoured with his team losing 5-0 to Aston Villa, but Walker had the final say, pushing the fan to the ground and continuing to shove him until referee Jeff Winter restrained the player.

Ireland completed the first leg of the Triple Crown by beating Wales.

March: Tyrone full back Cormac McAnallen's death stunned the country, the loss of a super-fit young man with so much potential all the more distressing. The month would end on an equally devastating note when John McCall collapsed on the field and died while playing for Ireland in the Under-19 Rugby World Cup in South Africa.

It was the same day Ireland won the Triple Crown at Lansdowne Road. Celebrations were muted as players reflected on the tragedy that had taken place earlier in the day.

Eddie O'Sullivan's charges had put themselves in that position by beating England at Twickenham for the first time since 1994. Gordon D'Arcy was the new pin-up boy of Irish rugby with a series of outstanding performances.

At Cheltenham, the punters' friend, Best Mate, duly obliged with a third successive Gold Cup win.

Arsenal drew with Manchester United at Highbury to preserve their unbeaten run, while Celtic beat Rangers at Ibrox.

April: Dublin beat Offaly 4-21 to 2-6 in the National Hurling League. Several callers to this office believed it to be a misprint. A Dub hurling breakthrough was championed from the pulpits of print. False dawn.

Phil Mickelson finally shed the tag of "best player never to have won a major" when he captured the US Masters.

Manchester United unseated their bitter rivals Arsenal in an FA Cup semi-final, but it was to be but a crumb of comfort for Alex Ferguson as the London club navigated the Premiership unbeaten en route to the title, with Chelsea finishing second.

Munster's bitter-sweet relationship with the European Cup was exactly that, with victory over Stade Français in the quarter-finals followed by a heart-breaking 37-32 defeat by Wasps in the semis at Lansdowne Road.

Ronnie O'Sullivan won snooker's World Championship title. Sales of Alice bands went through the roof. Amberleigh House won the Aintree Grand National for Ginger McCain, legendary trainer of Red Rum.

May: The BALCO drugs scandal broke in earnest with a handful of top athletes demonstrating trademark speed in trying to vouchsafe credible alibis. Scandal vacillated between reluctant confessions and trenchant denials, substantiated by lawsuits.

Two Republic of Ireland internationals retired from football, Denis Irwin after a long and distinguished career, Richard Sadlier barely into his but forced out through injury.

Galway beat Waterford in the National Hurling League final, Kerry edged past Galway in the football decider while Shannon, Trinity and Greystones prevailed at Lansdowne Road in the AIL club rugby's big day out.

Mighty Leeds crashed out of the Premiership. On the other side of Pennines, the other United beat Millwall in the FA Cup final.

Clement Poitrenaud demonstrated how to end up alone in a team environment when he waited for the rugby ball to go bouncy, bouncy over the line in the European Cup final. Wasps scrumhalf Robert Howley pounced to score the winning try.

June: The Dermot Weld/Pat Smullen combination stage-managed an Irish Derby success for Grey Swallow.

In soccer's European Championships, Zinedine Zidane broke English hearts with his late, late show, but with the help of the precocious Wayne Rooney, Sven Goran Eriksson's men showed great bouncebackability (see soccer manager-ese). Unfortunately, Rooney's injury effectively ended England's chances. Blue collar labourers usurped Portuguese aristocrats in the final as Greece stunned the host nation 1-0.

Wexford shocked Kilkenny in Leinster, while in football Páidí Ó Sé's Westmeath marked the beginning of the end for Dubs boss Tommy Lyons in victory. All-Ireland champions Tyrone were shocked by Donegal.

Colin Byrne won the US Open, facilitated by Retief Goosen.

Ireland travelled to South Africa full of hope: two Test matches later Ireland returned home full of bruises as the Springboks doled out some painful lessons.

July: Lance Armstrong prevailed in the Tour de France for the sixth time, taking him past legends Eddie Merckx, Jacques Anquetil and Miguel Indurain. Whatever lustre the race enjoyed at one stage has been tarnished by a never-ending succession of drugs scandals.

Some bloke called Goosen won the European Open over the Palmer course at the K Club. Todd Hamilton assumed the mantle of "where did he come from", spawned by Ben Curtis the previous year to pinch golf's British Open.

"Wayne Rooney is not leaving Everton" bulletins eventually gave way to 27 million reasons why he ended up at Old Trafford.

Rumours of Kilkenny's hurling demise proved wide of the mark as the Cats handed Galway a fearful beating. A 14-man Waterford showed tremendous resilience to beat Cork in a thrilling Munster Senior Hurling Final.

Maria Sharapova claimed the Wimbledon singles title. Federer continued to mop up allcomers in taking the men's equivalent.

August: President of the Olympic Council of Ireland Pat Hickey didn't know how apposite his remarks were in the wake of Cian O'Connor's gold medal performance in Athens when he observed: "I always said that equestrian was the dark horse for a medal at these games."

As events transpired dark was a suitable expression at the transformation that befell O'Connor and his mount, Waterford Crystal, the latter found with prohibitive substances in his system. The B sample was nicked, someone literally taking the piss. The heroes of the Olympics were American swimmer Michael Phelps and Hicham El Guerrouj on the track. For others it would end in disgrace or disappointment. Step forward Marion Jones, Kostas Kenteris, Paula Radcliffe and Neil Horan, who intervened in the marathon.

Shelbourne's Champions League odyssey eventually came to an end but not before a glorious night at Lansdowne Road when they hammered Deprotivo la Coruna 0-0.

September: John Oxx won the Irish Champions stakes with Azamour.

Kerry underlined the assertion that they are the beat football team in the country by adding the Sam Maguire to the National League title, their Connacht victims this time, John Maughan's Mayo. In hurling, Kilkenny were first to blink as Cork claimed the Liam McCarthy Cup, although there's no chance of the Leesiders watching it on that DVD.

Hal Sutton provided a mountain of copy and a grim study of a man disintegrating under the media spotlight in the Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills. Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods confirmed what everyone else in the golfing world bar Hal knew: they can't be paired together. Messrs Harrington, McGinley and Clarke helped Europe to a record 18 ½ - 9 ½ triumph.

The Republic of Ireland drew with Switzerland and then beat Cyprus at Lansdowne Road as Brian Kerr's men kick-started their World Cup qualifying campaign.

October: Hurling broke out at the Carnew-Glenealy match but, by all accounts, not for very long.

Padraig Harrington found out that, as a rule of thumb, trees are harder than digits, his World Matchplay quest ended as much by his thumb injury as it was by Els in the semi-final. The South African lost the final but celebrated at Mount Juliet with his World Championship success.

France were poxed to get a 0-0 draw against Kerr's men at the Stade de France, one of the team's best performances. Manchester United and Arsenal continued their hate-hate relationship with the former ending the Gunners' unbeaten run on 49 matches with a 2-0 win at Old Trafford. Longford left it late but achieved back to back FAI Cup wins with a 2-1 victory over Waterford at Lansdowne Road.

Marcus Horan wasn't a big fan of Elvis after a European Cup match at the Gnoll, finishing all shook up from Richard Mustoe and Seveali'i.

November: Argentina gave two fingers to Irish hospitality at Lansdowne Road and debunked the myth that there are no gougers in the Dublin 4 area. This followed on South African coach Jake White's assertion that only three Irish players would get into the Springbok match squad. Humble pie was on the menu as Ireland served up Springbok.

Brian Mullins was touted as the new Dublin manager but on sending his Santa list to John Bailey found the latter to be a bit of a Scrooge. Pillar Caffrey was measured for the role of saviour.

John Delaney, looking for the complete set of doorplates for his FAI collection, was chosen to succeed Fran Rooney - the latter given the golden handshake - albeit in a temporary capacity as chief executive of the FAI. Minister for Sport John O'Donoghue told the association to get their house in order, but they'd be lucky to find it with a map.

Maurice Fitzgerald helped South Kerry to a first Kerry football title in 22 years.

December: The GAA changed some rules on a trial basis. Amongst other things they will allow the pick-up and also provide for a sin bin, but some tradition(alist)s die hard so Ulster said 'No'.

Shamrock Rovers agreed to share a pitch with Sporting Nuku'Alofa in Tonga after their planning application for Tallaght was turned down again. Ronan O'Gara and Paul Volley got up close and personal after Munster's defeat in Castres, but it was all sweetness and light the following week as the pair settled their differences at Thomond Park. The entente didn't extend to the respective packs.

Chelsea's fantastic start to the season showed no sign of abating as they travelled to Highbury, conceded a distinctly dodgy goal yet still emerged with a share of the points. Graham Poll has said that he will allow Thierry Henry to tip off before the other team takes the field because he asks so politely.