UCD Marian were crowned Dublin Senior Champions in Inchicore last Sunday, writes Colm Lakes

Final Score: Eanna 66 – UCD Marian 70

UCD Marian were crowned Senior Dublin Cup Division 1 Champions last Sunday evening in Inchicore, in a game which saw a last-minute brace from Gary Edge to secure the game for UCD. They faced off against Eanna, a team who were right on their tails at the top of the league, and both knew it would prove to be a tight affair.

Missing key man Barry Glover added an extra hurdle in UCD’s path to glory. Eanna started the game the better of the two teams, with a high tempo that UCD struggled to cope with. Paddy Young contributed the bulk of Marian’s scores early on, as UCD tried hard just to stay in touch. Gary Edge was relatively anonymous in the first half as he battled with Eanna player/coach Ciaran MacEvilly.  Eanna looked to Philip Reynolds for their scores, his size and mobility proving to be very difficult for Marian to handle. Despite their dominant start, Eanna were unable to put points on the board and the first quarter ended level 16-16.

UCD made a few changes to begin the second quarter, while Eanna remained unchanged. This may have been the reason for Eanna’s 8-0 run early in the second, while Marian struggled to find cohesion. However, the National Cup finalists were not disheartened and began to claw their way back into the game. Eanna made their first substitution of the match halfway through the second quarter, a tactical error which led to key players being tired and getting into foul trouble early. As the quarter wound down, the momentum began to switch to UCD and they closed the gap to six, with Gary Edge contributing multiple assists. Mark Ryan and Ciaran Dunne were the main scorers as the half time score was 37-31 in favour of Eanna.

Marian knew they would have to step up their efforts to avoid a second defeat in a final in two weeks. They came out firing early and drew level within the first few minutes of the second half. Midway through the third quarter, UCD increased their defensive pressure, pressing their opposition up the court in a zonal trap, which the tired Eanna struggled to cope with. However, through the quality of Ciaran MacEvilly, Eanna found a lifeline in the form of three straight three-pointers as the UCD crowd fell silent. Robert Keane then hit a buzzer-beater three-pointer to break the deadlock at the end of the third, the score 57-54, but the momentum was with UCD Marian.

As crunch time approached, UCD set the benchmark for the fourth quarter with two quick scores. The game was tit for tat from then on out, with UCD scoring threes from Edge and Mark Byrne while Eanna looked to Keane, MacEvilly and their Under-20 stars Ian and Neil Lynch for their outside threat. The latter of the twins was fouled on a three-point attempt, allowing him three shots from the free throw line in a huge play for Eanna.

Both teams had key players fouled out in crucial moments of the game, but UCD had enough depth on the bench to cope, while Eanna suffered heavily with the loss of Reynolds. The final minutes were tight, with the scores frequently separated by just one point. The game changer came in the final thirty seconds.

UCD had a one-point lead and possession; they held on to the ball and as the shot clock ran down, they misfired but Gary Edge managed to secure the loose ball. Eanna fouled him to send him to the line, and with only eleven seconds on the clock Gary Edge scored both of his free throws to put Marian up by three. Eanna pushed down the court in search of an open three-pointer. However, UCD’s stellar defence kept them searching. Neil Lynch could not find a pass to either MacEvilly or Keane, and when he tried himself Gary Edge showed his class and experience, coming up with a big steal. He was fouled and sent to the line with a chance to put the game out of reach, which is exactly what he did, burying the disappointment of their National Cup final with it.

UCD impressed throughout, despite being behind for most of the game. The most notable performances were from Edge, Byrne and Under-17 player Mark Ryan, who contributed twenty points, a very impressive performance from a player who looks set to have a successful career in basketball ahead of him. The game finished 66-70, as UCD Marian celebrated claiming another trophy for their increasingly impressive cabinet.

UCD Marian were beaten by UL Eagles at the University Arena in Limerick on Saturday 21 January with a final score line of 75-68 in the Men’s Superleague.

UCD started well and led at the end of the first quarter 10-18, but the home side fought back and were ahead 34-29 by the end of the first half. The third quarter belonged to UCD, who led by seven with a quarter to go. In the final ten minutes, the Eagles upped their tempo and two big three’s by Scott Kinevane set them on their way. With the UCD team down a man due to team fouls, the Eagles were able to keep the score board ticking and went on to win by seven.

UCD Marian had solid performances across their team with the scoring led by Donie Stith (15), Conor Meaney (15) and Kevin Foley (14). UL Eagles were ultimately the better team, with the scoring led by Robert Taylor (21), Scott Kinnevane (14) and Neil Campbell (12).

Soccer

Paul Corry has signed on for another year with UCD AFC. The UCD academy product had been linked to clubs outside the college since the 2011 season ended, but has committed himself to the Belfield club for another season. The twenty-one-year old midfielder has represented Ireland at underage levels, including a home based Under 23 Ireland squad, and is continuing his degree in Commerce as he plays for the college. Over the last three seasons, Corry has played fifty-nine times for the Students, scoring six goals. The close of the season has seen speculation linking him with a move away from Belfield but Corry has chosen to stay with the Students as he continues his final year of studies.

GAA

The recipients of the Grant Thornton were Kildare’s Peter Kelly, Masters student, UCD Sigerson Captain and GAA All-Star in 2010; Donie Kingston, third year Arts student playing U21 and Senior Football for Laois, and Galway’s Colin Forde, fourth year Physiotherapy student and All-Ireland U21 Captain. The Cadbury Football scholarships were also announced last week, with Wicklow’s Aaron Murphy and Westmeath’s Cormac Boyle the two UCD recipients.

Meanwhile, UCD GAA hosted a free symposium on Player Wellbeing in UCD’s Health Science Building on Wednesday night. The symposium attracted a huge crowd from all sports as the guest speakers discussed areas relevant to all athletes competing in sport, including alcohol, nutrition, and injury.

UCD Marian fell to an emphatic defeat to a very impressive Dublin Thunder team in the Division 1 National Cup final on Friday. Coming in as heavy underdogs, but with the knowledge of the unpredictability of the cup, there was no way that UCD would be happy to settle for the silver medal.

Dublin Thunder are, however, an immensely talented team, no doubt possessing the most quality in the competition. With players such as Lawrence “Puff” Summers, Michael Goj, Glen Wong, Isaac Westbrooks and Derek Courtney, it is no wonder that they are the envy of the country, despite not having a league to play in.

UCD started the game very well, taking an early lead with three three-pointers from Gary Edge, to take an 11-3 lead. However, Thunder were not going to allow UCD to pull away from them for very long, as they began to slowly claw their way back. Scores from Summers, Michael Goj and Derrick Courtney allowed Thunder to level and then take the lead towards the end of the first period.

UCD had to fight for every score, with Gary Edge, the only UCD player who seemed to be having any luck, leading the way. Thunder finished the quarter with a final second buzzer-beater from Michael Goj to deflate the Marian players and fans, and stretch the gap to six, 23-17 to the Northside club.

In the second quarter Thunder began to pull away from UCD. They played excellent defence to keep UCD’s scores to a minimum and scored freely themselves, with just too much of an offensive punch for Marian. Glen Wong and Michael Goj showed a killer instinct from the three-point line, Wong scoring two three-pointers in the quarter alone.

At the other end, UCD could only manage five points in the quarter and the crowd began to suspect that a blow-out was on its way. As the half drew to a close, the scoreline was not pretty for the Students, and the mood in the changing rooms was no doubt tense as they trailed 48-22. The game was Thunder’s to lose, and without the weight of expectation on their back, UCD continued to fight until the game ended.

Try as they did, there was no denying the superiority of Thunder. They were simply too good for their opponents, and would have torn apart every other team in the competition with their performance, excluding only the equally impressive Ballon. However, Marian came out in the third quarter defiant, and made sure that they created more scores for themselves than the abysmal second quarter. However, on the defensive end, they could not stop Thunder, who scored as much as they pleased. They had too many options, inside and out, for Marian to contain and continued to stretch their lead. By the end of the period, Thunder had one hand on the trophy, as the result was a foregone conclusion. At 71-37, it would take a number of miracles for any hope of a comeback.

The game’s tempo slowed in the fourth quarter, as Thunder eased off the pressure. Gary Edge continued to be UCD’s main scoring threat, and he finished the game as top scorer with eighteen points. However, even this valiant effort was not enough to save face, as Thunder ran out a forty-two point win and were crowned Division 1 National Champions.

UCD’s performance was far from shameful; they were simply beaten well by a special team in Irish basketball. Thunder are too good for Division 1, but are ineligible for the Superleague; should they maintain their current squad they could prove to be a dominant force in the Senior National Cup for many years to come.

With a final score of 87-45, Thunder player Derrick Courtney was awarded MVP for his efforts as he put in a stellar performance, but really any one of the Dublin Thunder players could have received the award. UCD will be upset by this loss, but currently positioned as they are at the top of the Dublin Senior Division 1, they will not lose heart or confidence.

Spring is here, which can only mean one thing: the business end of the rugby season. For the next month and a half the Heineken Cup will step aside to allow something even bigger to take centre stage. The Six Nations is back, and it promises to be more intriguing than ever.

This year’s tournament carries some extra, World Cup-shaped, baggage with it. Half of the teams in this year’s Six Nations lost in the knock-out round to another European team, and another two failed to qualify from groups which were won by their European counterparts, with only France being knocked out by a Southern Hemisphere team.

This means that there are five World Cup rematches on the cards, with three teams looking to avenge their World Cup defeats at home. These rematches will go a long way towards deciding who will win the tournament. 2012 is one of those exciting years where there is no out-and-out favourite.

With a new head coach at the helm, and the classic French temperament a constant factor, the French remain, as always, unpredictable. They played poorly in autumn, even losing to Tonga, but somehow only lost the final by a single point. This would seem to put them forward as automatic favourites. In order to win however, Thierry Dusautoir, IRB World Player of the Year, will need his men to reproduce the energetic play present in the final, rather than the dull, cynical style that got them there.

Wales pose arguably the biggest threat to France’s hopes. Although the form of the likes of Sam Warburton and Rhys Priestland has cooled since their semi-final defeat to France, their passion will not have. After their controversial loss in October, they will be looking for revenge in Paris on the last day of the tournament.

The loss of Shane Williams will be countered by the emergence of four young wingers with Alex Cuthbert, the oldest, only twenty-one years old. Warren Gatland clearly liked what he saw at the World Cup, and is continuing to put his faith in a youthful side that has the potential to dominate Europe for years. With two big away games for Wales, it won’t be easy to come out on top as this team isn’t built for instant success, so Wales may drop a few points in the tournament.

Ireland go into the tournament on the back of the most successful Heineken Cup group stage in their history, with three quarter-finalists, the most of any country this year. Ulster’s emergence as a contender has given Declan Kidney further ammunition, even if he seems unwilling to use it.

The exclusion of Dan Tuohy in favour of Donnacha Ryan is questionable, as is the continued inclusion of Paddy Wallace over a number of more gifted, younger players such as Eoin O’Malley or Nevin Spence. Kidney’s selections indicate he has one eye on the end-of-year world rankings, which decide the 2015 World Cup pools.

Fergus McFadden has the unenviable task of filling Brian O’Driscoll’s shoes. Kidney and Co. will hope that he can emulate O’Driscoll’s Parisian debut back in 2000, when he scored a hat-trick in Ireland’s only win in the French capital in the past forty years.

The reigning champions, England, look unlikely to retain their crown. With an interim head coach in place and an overhaul of players, English rugby finds itself in a state of flux. A disastrous World Cup, both on and off the pitch, has seen Stuart Lancaster select only seventeen players from the thirty-man squad that failed so spectacularly in New Zealand.

Scotland’s ambition will be to overpower Italy and possibly sneak a home win against another team. Edinburgh’s progress in the Heineken Cup bodes well for the future of Scottish rugby, but it is unlikely that they will finish any higher than fifth. Their home opener against England is their best chance to win against one of the big four.

Italy, meanwhile, will have their eyes cast to the north, with Scotland at home their best chance to win, and avoid their tenth wooden spoon since they joined the competition, this being their thirteenth season. It remains to be seen what effect the departure of Nick Mallet will have on the Azzuri, but one can’t but feel that it won’t be good. Sergio Parisse can only carry this team so far, and their victory over France feels more like a flash in the pan than a turning point.

In just under two months, we will know for sure what the answers to all of these questions are. One thing is certain, however; even in its 118^th edition, rugby’s oldest tournament is as exciting as ever.

Giovanni Trapattoni’s conservative selection policy will be put to the test when he sits down to select his Irish squad for Euro 2012, which commences on the 8^th June. Since he took over the Republic of Ireland job four years ago, he hasn’t made many changes, partially due to a lack of choice, but now his horizons have expanded with some Irish talent stepping up in the Premier League and SPL.

Aston Villa defender Ciaran Clark has shown how he can mix with some of the best in the Premier League, and will be full of confidence after making his debut against Wales in the Aviva Stadium. It is unclear as of yet if he shall join the 2012 squad, but it is also doubtful that if he does make it that he will feature in any starting line-up Trapattoni puts out.

The on-and-off form of Newcastle striker Leon Best have left opinions split about his ability. He has failed to find the net in seven games for Ireland, with many, including Trapattoni, questioning his work rate and fitness, since he normally fails to finish any games he starts with Newcastle.

Two Norwich City players who have made an impression in the Premier League this season are Wesley Hoolahan and Anthony Pilkington. Both players have not had much of a look into Trapattoni’s side. Hoolihan has a solitary cap for his nation, while Pilkington is still awaiting his debut.

Pilkington has netted five times this season for the newly promoted side, but it is his teammate Hoolahan who is the most likely candidate for a spot in the squad since Trapattoni and Marco Tardelli have been watching him all season long, and he won his cap under Trapattoni in 2008.

Ireland haven’t had to worry about their goalkeeping situation since Shay Given established himself in 2000, but the Villa goalkeeper has suffered several injuries recently, including a torn hamstring.

If Given were to miss out on Euro 2012, Trapattoni would be left with a serious dilemma. QPR’s Paddy Kenny gained seven caps for the Republic of Ireland during 2004-2006 but has not featured in a single game since. He has been solid for QPR, but he is out of favour with the Italian manager, and Sunderland’s Keirin Westwood is the man most likely to be called upon should Given get injured.

Cillian Sheridan and Anthony Stokes have been impressing in the SPL. Sheridan is on loan from CSKA Sofia to St. Johnstone and has netted four times in thirteen appearances. It is highly doubtful that he will make the squad if all the regulars such as Keane and Walters are fit.

Anthony Stokes is netting week in, week out in the SPL and it shows how efficient the striker really is. He has netted thirty-four goals in sixty-five appearances for Celtic as well as gaining four caps for Ireland. Along with Shane Long, Stokes is one of the players that Trapattoni does not utilise correctly.

Former UCD striker Conor Sammon will be hoping to acquire a place in the squad for the Euros but his hopes may be dashed due to a slow start at Wigan Athletic. He has netted just one goal in twenty-one appearances for the struggling side, and with the numerous striking options open to Trapattoni, he will most likely join the likes of Best, Stokes and Sheridan in being left behind for Euro 2012.

Sunderland’s James McClean has impressed since getting a look in by new manager Martin O’Neill. He confirmed this month that he would not be reconsidering his decision to play for the Republic of Ireland, after contact from Michael O’Neill to play for Northern Ireland.

McClean has been in fine form of late, but like many emerging players, his hopes may have been dashed after Trapattoni announced that the squad who qualified deserves their place on the plane to Poland/Ukraine, leaving new players a difficult task to try to squeeze into the squad. Damien Duff’s incessant injuries could see him miss out on a place, which could leave McClean with a chance to claim his role on the right wing.

Trapattoni has strongly emphasised that he will stick to the players he used in qualifications. The two players with the strongest chances of creeping into the squad are James McLean and Wes Hoolahan, but even they may not make it depending on the fitness of regulars.

Despite the criticism he receives for his conservative selection policy, changes are unlikely, since Trap’s conservatism has seen Ireland qualify for the Euros. However, no one will complain if his intransigence is vindicated and Ireland have a successful tournament.

Dave McSharry’s career has reached new heights over the last few months. In October of last year, he scored a try for UCD against Bruff in Division 1B of the All Ireland League. One week later, he was lining up for Connacht in the Heineken Cup against Aviva Premiership leaders, Harlequins.

Fast forward another week, and Dave was lining up against four-time Heineken Cup winners Toulouse. His opposite number was one of the world’s most formidable centres, Yannick Jauzion.

“I got on against Leinster with Connacht, and things didn’t really go my way,” says Dave, “but I got another shot with Ulster and it went a bit better that time. I was lucky that Eric [Elwood] kept faith in me and I got to play in the Harlequins game, at the Stoop. It was some change around from the Bruff game with UCD.

“Toulouse was the next week, and I was opposite Jauzion; that was another big one and it just seemed to keep getting bigger every week.”

Neither game brought victory for Connacht, but a spirited performance from the Westerners looked like it might lift them from their funk, which had seen them lose their previous four games. Connacht would go on to lose their next eight games, before welcoming Harlequins to the Sportsground.

Connacht’s fourteen-game losing streak didn’t look like ending, after a two-point loss to Leinster and an away loss to bottom side Aironi, when ‘Quins arrived in the West. McSharry wasn’t involved in the team due to injury, but was relieved to see the streak come to an end, and for Connacht to get their first ever Heineken Cup win. Their win against ‘Quins essentially put Ulster into the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup.

“All the hard work that had been going in for the last few weeks hadn’t been coming to anything, so it was great to see the lads get a big win, especially in the Heineken Cup with a lot of eyes on them. We did Ulster a nice favour too!”

McSharry originally started as an out-half, playing in the number 10 shirt for Templeogue College through the Senior Cup, before making the switch to centre during a trip to South Africa with the Leinster schools team. It was through Leinster that Dave earned a scholarship for UCD.

“I had gone away to South Africa for the Leinster schools team and when I got back from that, I got started for the U-18s team. I played the Inter Pros U18s and U19s. During that time my brother had been playing all along in UCD, and I’d been up watching his games. I got chatting to John [McClean] who said he’d seen me play a few times with Leinster, and he basically just offered me a scholarship.”

Dave spent two years playing U-20 in UCD and a year and a half playing senior, before switching to the West. His career took a setback during his second year playing U-20s, as he picked up several injuries, hindering his development at Leinster, where he was in the sub-academy. He jumped at the opportunity to join Connacht at the start of the year.

Connacht has always been the forgotten province of Irish rugby. They are the least funded of the four provincial sides, and with the European success of Munster, Leinster and even Ulster, are often overlooked when talk of developing Irish talent is brought up. However, Connacht have revived the careers of players such as Ian Keatley, Sean Cronin and Fionn Carr.

The departure of those players to Leinster and Munster has seen the emergence of new talent at Connacht, as Tiernan O’Halloran, Mick Kearney and Eoin Griffin are just some of the other young Irish players beginning to establish themselves at the province.

“They had a big time influence [on McSharry’s decision to go to Connacht]. When you see how well those lads have done in the last year, with the likes of Griffin, who I’d played alongside the whole way up, and the same kind of lads with Leinster who were not getting a look in.”

Dave believes the Connacht set-up is vital for the future of Irish rugby. He cites the lack of player depth in the Connacht side as the reason for their fourteen-game losing streak, since they didn’t have enough players to cover the number of injuries they accumulated, due to a lack of funding from the IRFU. Connacht U-20s also won the Inter-Pros this year, the underage inter-provincial tournament.

“I watched them [Connacht U-20s] play two games this year. There are some brilliant prospects coming through there. Over the next two or three years we’ll see them come through into both the Connacht team and the Ireland team.

“I think [the Connacht set-up’s] influence is massive. There are three other provinces to choose from, but if they allow the proper funding and everything to go into it, Connacht could be a stronger fourth province. With the amount of young players coming through, they could look at that and realise that there’s an extra pool of players to choose from.”

One of the young Irish talents coming through is Dave’s centre partner, Eoin Griffin. The two were in the same Irish U-20 squad, but saw limited game time together. Dave is happy to be seeing more game time with the Galway man, who was also signed up to a professional contract in December. “I really enjoy playing with Eoin. He’s got a really bright future ahead of him. At U-20 level we always fitted well together and I get on well with him off the pitch, which is important.”

Dave plays down Connacht backs’ coach Billy Millard’s suggestion that he will play for Ireland one day, alongside Griffin, preferring to take each day as it comes. “With how quickly things have turned around for me over the last few weeks, it hasn’t really been something on my mind. I suppose holding onto the twelve jersey each week is what’s keeping me going.

“Over the next few years, maybe I will [think about playing internationally]. It’s great to see Gav [Gavin Duffy], Macca [Mike McCarthy] and Wilko [Brett Wilkinson] and the lads in the Wolfhounds at the moment.” The Wolfhounds could also be a way forward for Dave in the future.

After a string of impressive performances for Connacht, which saw him play six games and score one try, Dave was awarded the Connacht Player of the month for November, and was then awarded with a professional contract with the club.

He still follows UCD and believes that there are several players from the current squad who can make the next provincial breakthrough. “I keep following UCD and keep in contact with the lads all the time. A few of my best friends are playing for UCD and it’s great to see them overturn Trinity in Colours this year after what happened last year.

“There is a lot of young talent coming through there. I played a small bit this year with a few lads and there’s a few strong players coming through: Andy Boyle, Sam Coughlan Murray, James Tracey. And a few lads from Leinster who have got a few games, Luke McGrath is supposed to be very good, and Conor Gilsenan. There’s a huge crop of good players coming through in UCD.”

After such a promising start at Connacht, it seems that Dave McSharry’s venture to the West has been a success. Turning just twenty-two in February, his future looks very bright.

The Badger’s least favourite time of the year is coming, and since the Badger is an absolute playa, it isn’t Valentine’s Day; it’s Super Bowl Sunday.

It’s the day when half the population of Ireland pretends to be American, not by eating too much fast food or bombing the Middle East, but by sitting down to watch American football. The Badger’s main problem with American football used to be its ridiculous name. Calling a sport ‘football’ when the ball is so rarely kicked in a match used to irritate the Badger, but since watching the endless series of handpasses in Gaelic, it’s become apparent to the Badger that the use of feet is not a vital aspect in naming a sport ‘football’.

But there are so many reasons to dislike American football, not least the time it airs this side of the Atlantic. The Badger is nocturnal, yet still doesn’t bother to watch the NFL; is the Badger alone in thinking that that time of the night should be dedicated to hunting mice?

Not to badger on about time, but when more of a game is spent in studio analysing the plays, than on the field, you’re probably not watching the best sport.

The Badger will concede that the NFL has some of the best athletes in the world, but it remains less a sport, and more an anorak’s wet dream, since the sport’s platform is completely based on statistics. A player can’t be judged by anything but a number on a page, to the point where watching a match is more like watching an outdoor maths class.

American football is the basis for movies including Remember the Titans and Any Given Sunday, so it is also responsible for drunks and coaches of underage GAA teams poorly retelling the speeches, and attempting to recreate the dance, in a feeble attempt to replicate Al Pacino and Ryan Gosling. Surely this is a crime grave enough to ban the sport?

And then there’s Michael Vick. Is it unfair to judge an entire sport by the actions of one player? No, because the Badger says so. So, one of the NFL’s best players of the last decade gets bored and organises some dog fighting rings? Again, the Badger may be alone here, but he doesn’t agree with this.

So the Badger will not watch the Super Bowl XZII$Q. In all honesty, the Badger would rather see what’s going on in Michael Vick’s back garden than watch the Super Bowl. It’d probably be easier on the eye too.

For those who were willing to brave the very early hours of Sunday morning to watch the NFL Championship games, it was most certainly worth it.

The Giants recorded a gritty 20-17 overtime win over the 49ers while the Patriots, through the misfortune of Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff, secured a 23-20 victory over Baltimore. In many ways it was the tale of two kickers as the Giants’ Lawrence Tynes’ successful kick sent the New York side to their second Super Bowl since 2008, while Cundiff, who signed a five-year contract worth about $15 million in January of last year with the Ravens to become their long-term kicker, hooked a simple thirty-two yard field goal to the left and wide.

Indeed, the way in which the Giants and the Patriots are coming into this year’s Super Bowl is almost identical as to the way in which both teams made it to Super Bowl XLII in 2008, a game which the Giants won. The Giants, who finished the regular season in 2007 with a 10-6 record, finished the regular season this year with a 9-7 record. Although the Patriots didn’t finish this season with the perfect 16-0 they had in the 2007 regular season, their 13-3 record tied them with the rest of the NFL’s top seeds.

Similar to the build-up to Super Bowl XLII, the Giants are coming into Super Bowl XLVI in terrific form. Since they were 7-7 they have won five games in a row, most of them on the road, outscoring their opponents 141-67. The Giants’ defence, although only ranked twenty-seventh for the regular season, has succeeded in shutting out opponents’ offence by using the three or four man rush on the quarterback. This is something they will look to use against Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.

Brady struggled to find his man as the Ravens’ defence increased pressure on the pocket. Brady finished the game with a respectable 22/36 pass rate for 239 yards, but the big difference was that he threw no touchdown passes. This is in stark contrast to the joy Brady enjoyed in games at the end of the regular season such as against Buffalo, or in the playoff win against the Broncos.

Brady is now in his fourth Super Bowl and is arguably the best quarterback to date, but doesn’t hit the numbers he usually throws if he’s forced to move around in or outside of the pocket. For his laser-guided arm to function to its full potential his feet must be set, and Brady’s numbers for throwing when running are poor in comparison to the likes of Tim Tebow. This is where New York will try to use their strength, the three or four man rush with varied zonal coverage, to unearth Brady’s weakness and cut off the Patriots’ supply.

The Patriots come into the game in solid form on the back of a sort of anti-climatic AFC Championship victory. A positive for all Pats fans going into the game is that they won without Brady throwing a TD pass, as they normally rely so heavily on their quarterback. While it shows that the Ravens’ defence shut him down somewhat, it also instils confidence in the rest of the team that they can win a Championship whether Brady shows up or not. Another positive is that when the passing game wasn’t working Green-Ellis and Woodhead were able to carry the team’s offence quite literally, thus further indicating how flexible this supposedly one-dimensional New England team can be.

The Giants seem to be the early favourites for Super Bowl XLVI as the statistics are most definitely on their side. They have won seven consecutive overtime games, have had no fumbles in seven games, have had no turnovers in three of their last four games, only allowing the 49ers one third-down conversion out of thirteen in the NFC Championship game.

Whether the New York Giants can deal with being favourites this time around will be a huge talking point. In 2008, nobody thought that the Giants would be able to stand in the way of the then 16-0 Patriots. It seemed as if their underdog status, as it always does to teams, gave them a degree of freedom when playing in the Super Bowl that year, as if the occasion didn’t faze them. Although the Giants have displayed some of the grinding, hard-fought form they displayed in that 2007-2008 season, one wonders whether they will be able to replicate it on February 5^th.

The Patriots can see what stands between them and the Vince Lombardi trophy and won’t underestimate the Giants like they seemed to have done in 2008. Although the form guide points the way of New York, it is hard to see how such a proud, hard-working and grounded franchise as the New England Patriots will allow the Giants to beat them for the second time this season (24-20 to Giants in Foxborough, MA in Week 9), and for the second time in a row in the Superbowl.

After taking an early lead, UCD eventually slumped to a 2-1 defeat against title rivals Railway, who handed the Students their first defeat of the season.

UCD began the day unbeaten and top of the table, with a game in hand over their fellow Southsiders, who were two points behind them and also undefeated. Due to international commitments, both teams had to do without key players; UCD were left missing Chloe Watkins, while Railway had to do without Alex Speers, Emma Smyth and Nikki Evans. Both Smyth and Watkins were involved in the Ireland team that lost to Belgium in the second build up game to the Investec Triangular series in South Africa.

The game started off perfectly for UCD, who grabbed the lead in the first four minutes of the match, with Jeamie Deacon scoring for the visitors after good build-up play. UCD looked comfortable for the rest of the half, passing well and keeping Railway to minimal scoring opportunities.

Late in the first half, Railway won a corner, which was fired across ‘The D’ and eventually slotted home by Zara Delany. The two teams went in level at half time after a conservative first half.

It was Railway who controlled the second half, with Jean McDonnell and Julia O’Halloran proving particularly impressive. They made their dominance count, grabbing a second goal through Isobel Joyce.

Railway were happy to see the game out from there, by playing the possession game and letting the clock tick down. UCD couldn’t create much with what little possession they saw near the end of the game, and the match eventually petered out for a 2-1 win to the home side. Railway’s win sees them leapfrog UCD at the top of the table, although UCD still have a game in hand.

UCD 1^st XI team captain, Laura Wilson, was happy with the performance, even if the result didn’t go their way: “We just didn’t take our chances in the game,” says Wilson, “We played well, but just couldn’t finish it.

“Performance wise, it wasn’t far off how we have been playing. But obviously we didn’t get the result, which is what matters. We’re still performing well as a team. It’s only our first match back since before exams in December, so we were out of match practice.”

Meanwhile, UCD’s Men’s team bounced back from their Mills Cup quarter final loss to Three Rock by drawing with YMCA. The draw sees the Students move above Fingal, into eighth place.

Having lost the Neville Cup final in December, and a respectable final position the only realistic goal for the league, the Mills Cup was UCD’s only chance for silverware this season, but after a 1-1 draw in Belfield, they lost 3-1 on penalties to Three Rock.

Strikers have been traditionally the focal point of a football team. Previously judged purely upon their goal tallies and goals per game ratio, the position has evolved to incorporate the Emile Heskey type figure; a player who scores little but can cause problems for opposition defences and create goals by presence alone, without even touching the ball. A manager’s dream, but any fan’s nightmare front man.

One trend which has been developing at Europe’s top clubs is the abolishment of what has become known as a traditional Number 9, or poacher: a striker whose primary objective is to score, to play off the back foot of opposition defences and apply the finish to a team play or opposition mistake.

The poacher Number 9, the likes of Alan Shearer, Ruud van Nistleroy and Michael Owen, are becoming scarce at the top level, as teams steadily abandon a 4-4-2 system in favour of a 4-3-3 (with two attacking wide men, and a centre forward) or 4-2-3-1 formation, wherein a more complete forward is required to lead the attacking line.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo do this job to great effect for Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively, while Wayne Rooney often occupies this lone striker position, when fitness allows Ferguson to play his full team. Danny Welbeck has leapfrogged Javier Hernandez in United’s pecking order. When injuries dictate that Rooney must play in midfield, because of his more physically imposing presence and ability to hold the ball up for attacking players running towards goal, Hernandez is an out-and-out poacher.

In Robin van Persie, Arsenal have followed the trend of dropping a poacher, though whether this was due to the failure of Gervinho and Chamakh to score enough goals is up for debate. Chelsea have always preferred a powerful striker, and have continued this in their positioning of Daniel Sturridge or Didier Drogba at the heart of their attack.

Roberto Mancini’s attacking options mean that his frontline is often changed, but even at that, Edin Dzeko, Mario Balotelli and the forgotten Carlos Tevez are not poachers, and to call Sergio Aguero simply a goal scorer would be an insult to his immense skill.

The change hasn’t exactly staggered goals, as the change to 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 formation means much more attacking opportunities. Ronaldo and Messi average about a goal every game, while van Persie and the collective Man City attack have been scoring goals for fun in recent months.

Strikers are now a hotter commodity than ever, so inflated transfers are now the norm. Since Chelsea opened their chequebooks to buy Andrei Shevchenko, who was probably the best striker in the world at the time, for £30 million, the price for strikers has shot up.

Young English strikers are incredibly overpriced, as exemplified by Connor Wickham’s £13 million move to Sunderland in the summer, as well as the combined totals that Tottenham, Sunderland and Aston Villa have paid for the services of Darren Bent.

Nowhere is the inflation more obvious than with Liverpool’s £35 million buy of Andy Carroll, whose value probably shot up by £10 million because he has won an England cap. Since arriving in the northwest, he hasn’t looked half the player he did at Newcastle.

Liverpool put the pressure of one of the highest transfers in the world on Carroll when he was in the  best form of his life and recovering from an injury. When his form dropped, so did his head and it seems the pressure keeps mounting on the Tyneside native with each passing game; no matter how many Liverpool players claim that he’s as good at training as he was on the pitch with Newcastle last season, the chance of him reclaiming the form he was in last season is questionable.

Liverpool managed to offset the massive transfer fee by receiving one of their own for Fernando Torres. Chelsea has become a graveyard for big name strikers in their prime in recent years; Hernan Crespo, Andrei Shevchenko and now Torres have all failed to fire at Chelsea after huge transfers.

Torres, as an out-and-out poacher, could be feeling the effect of the football world evolving without him, although the remarkable Demba Ba’s goal scoring in the last year squashes that theory somewhat. Like Carroll, Torres could be failing to live up to his ability because of his massive price tag, but he has looked drained of confidence  since the World Cup in 2010, when a spat of injuries prior to and during the tournament limited him game time. It seems that Andes Villas Boas and the football world is losing interest in Torres quickly, and his star is undoubtedly falling.

One striker who is certainly not disappearing is Machester City striker Mario. He is like the human equivalent of Marmite in the way he divides opinion; he has provided football fans with numerous talking points in his football and personal life.

Fans either love of hate the Italian, but whatever the feeling, nobody can deny his entertainment value. His domination of back pages has finally taken away from the usual stories we hear about footballers.

Players’ private lives, mostly conducted in public nowadays, are notoriously repetitive when the story leaks. Sticking to a tried and tested formula, glamour models or wannabe WAGs go to to the tabloids to tell of their late night meeting with a married footballer. The tabloid in turn prints the story, calling the player a love rat, and calling their source every synonym of the word ‘gorgeous’ that was ever coined.

The annual story of Rooney’s dissatisfaction at Manchester United has sprung up again, while the story of Tevez has been played out so many times that people have begun to forget that he can kick a ball.

Homesick and unhappy with yet another employer, on numerous occasions the Argentine has made noises about moving home, before being linked with clubs further away from home.

Balotelli meanwhile has been accidentally hilarious and fascinating in his actions. There is no doubt that what we see on a regular basis from the Man City striker is the real Balotelli; from his parking tickets, to his house fire, to throwing darts at a youth team, right to his awarding of £1,000 to a homeless man after a casino win. The actions are Balotelli’s, not an act. While not all of his actions can be laughed at and passed off as a bored, petulant young man with too much money, such as his apparent mafia associations and the incident with the darts, his actions are keeping football interesting off the field, as well as on it.

As a youth, he picked up numerous awards, as well as picking up a European accolade for best Young Player in Europe last year, after which he said only Messi was better than him, and that he had never heard of the runner up, Jack Wilshere. Balotelli has begun to show his undoubted talent in the Premier League this season.

If one thing is to sum up the Italian in a nutshell, it is his goal against Norwich, where he shouldered the ball into an empty net. Just to be different. Just to be interesting. Why always him?