St Patrick’s Day sporting guide: What’s on, where to watch and who to bet on
It's another busy St Patrick's Day with the Gold Cup taking centre stage at Cheltenham, GAA club finals, international and schools rugby action, two League of Ireland clashes, some schools Gaa, PGA Tour golf and Michael Conlan’s professional boxing debut.
JCB Triumph Hurdle is on at Cheltenham Festival at 1.30pm.
Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle is on at Cheltenham Festival at 2.50pm.
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Club Championship final: Ballyea v Cuala (3pm).
Cheltenham Festival: Timico Chelteningham Gold Cup (3.30pm)
All-Ireland Senior Football Club Championship final: Slaughtneil v Dr Crokes (5pm)
Ireland play England in the Women’s Six Nations at 6pm.
Michael Conlan v Tim Ibarra is on at 3am on Saturday.
It's the final day of the Cheltenham Festival. The JCB Triumph Hurdle starts at 1.30pm. Dandy Mag and Bapaume are Willie Mullins' entries in the opening race. Gordon Elliott will be hopeful of continuing a special week with Mega Fortune and Dinaria Des Obeaux. Joseph O'Brien's Ivanovich Gorbatov is 8/1 favourite in County Handicap HURTLE (2.10pm). Albert Bartlett Novices' HURLLE starts 2.50pm with Bryan Cooper on board. Timico Chelteham Gold Cup starts 3. 30pm and is expected to be won by Paddy Brennan. Foxhunter Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase starts 4. 10pm, Martin Pipe Handiap Handichele (4. 50pm) and Johnny Henderson Handiciap Chase (5.00pm.)
The GAA's senior club championship finals are taking place at Croke Park on St Patrick's Day. Ballyea from Co Clare take on Cuala in the hurling final at 3 pm. Slaughtneil take part in a football final against Colm Cooper’s Dr Crokes from Killarney at 5 pm on TG4.
St. Patrick's Day is a day of school finals. St Colman's Newry take on St Mary's Magherafelt in the MacRory Cup final at 1pm. Ulster Senior Schools Cup between RBAI and Methodist College at the Kingspan Stadium at 3 pm. Leinster Senior School Cup at RDS at 2 pm between Belvedere and Blackrock. Munster High School Championship between PBC and Glenstal Abbey at Thomond Park at 4 pm, kick-off at 5 pm
The Leinster final is part of a double header of rugby action at the RDS. Ireland legends team take on their English counterparts at 6pm. The Ireland under-20s will be hoping to round off their Six Nations campaign with a win over England. There will also be a Grand Slam decider between Tom Tierney's Ireland women's side and England women.
Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians are playing on St Patrick's Day. First off, Shamrock take on Cork City at Tallaght Stadium at 5pm.
The second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational is on Sky Sports 4 at 6pm. Rory McIlroy is playing well ahead of US Masters.
Michael Conlan is expected to make his professional debut against Tim Ibarra at New York’s Madison Square Garden Theatre at 3 am.
Tony Keenan tips Sizing John in the Gold Cup. He believes he's better suited to the distance and Jessica Harrington. He also believes Cue Card and Djakadam are the proven horses.
