Few gave Norton's Coin even a puncher's chance in the 1990 Cheltenham Gold Cup. Not even part-time trainer Sirrell Griffiths gave his runner much of a chance.

Expansion. Expansion. Expansion. Talk of a potential NBA expansion has been everywhere recently. Having been brewing away on the hob for a while, the subject is now coming to a boil.

For a small island nation falling off the edge of Europe, Ireland has coughed out an impressive array of sports stars of global fame.