Sport sport sport sport, sport sport sport sport, sport sport sport sport sport sport sport sport.
That word again is sport, and let us be your guide for all matters Championship, Premier League and PRO12 over the coming weekend.
Saturday
Premier League: Southampton v Aston Villa (BT Sport 1, 12pm)
Tim Sherwood has revitalised Aston Villa just in time to (presumably) avoid relegation to the Championship, but this is still one of the tastier fixtures of the upcoming weekend.
If nothing else, we’ll get to see Jack Grealish further stake his claim to a place in Roy Hodgson’s squad for the 2016 European Championships.
Forgive us if we sound cynical.
Gillette Soccer Saturday (Sky Sports News, 12pm)
Enjoy them while you can, folks, because after this weekend we only get to see Paul Merson and Chris Kamara’s general buffonery once more this season.
We’ll miss you, Jeff.
Guinness PRO12: Munster v Newport-Gwent Dragons (TG4, 2.30pm)
It’s Round 22 of the PRO12 and Munster are joint top of the table, although they know that even a bonus point victory will not necessarily give them a home play-off next weekend. TG4 have full coverage from Cork from 2.30pm onwards.
Premier League: Sunderland v Leicester City (Setanta Ireland or Setanta Sports 1, 3pm)
Two of four teams that can still go down, both sides have had a bit of a revival in recent times and stand a decent chance of avoiding the drop. What would have been everyone’s idea of an absolute stinker at the start of the season is arguably the biggest match of the weekend. And it’s intriguing.
Premier League: Liverpool v Crystal Palace (Sky Sports 1, 5pm)
Steven Gerrard’s final game at Anfield (until next season’s inevitable 10-week loan from the MLS, anyway) sees Liverpool take on Crystal Palace in the penultimate round of Premier League fixtures.
Gerrard’s home swansong aside, there really isn’t much going on here. The Reds’ chances of Champions League football next season are all but dead and buried, while Palace are safe in 12th.
Sunday
Ulster Senior Football Championship: Donegal v Tyrone (RTE2, 3.15pm)
With no World Cup, no Olympics, no European Championships and precious little else to provide meaning to our tiny little lives, we thank baby Jebus that the Championship is back for the summer. We just hope that this pair doesn’t blanket defence each other into oblivion.
Premier League double bill: Swansea v Manchester City and Manchester United v Arsenal (Sky Sports 1, 12.30pm)
It makes us a bit sad that, really, there isn’t a whole lot riding on either game except for pride. United pretty much guaranteed their return to the Premier League with last weekend’s win over Crystal Palace, so that’s the top four all but wrapped up.
That leaves one delicious factor – pride. Arsenal haven’t won at Old Trafford for nine years in the league and, with United stuttering in recent weeks before the win at Selhurst Park, it could finally be the Gunners’ year to end that particular hoodoo.
La Liga: Atletico Madrid v Barcelona (Sky Sports 1, 5.30pm)
This one sells itself, really, doesn’t it?
Messi. Suarez. Neymar. Koke. Iniesta. Griezmann. Torres. Rakitic.
Yeah, not bad, especially when the title’s at stake. Barcelona can claim it if they win.
The Sunday Game (RTÉ2, 9.30pm)
If you simply haven’t had enough of red-hot Ulster Championship football action from earlier, then Des Cahill and The Sunday Game are back on Sunday evenings with highlights of Donegal v Tyrone, as well as Leitrim v Galway and Louth v Westmeath.
The question is, will Dessie’s notorious ‘word challenge’ be back too? We suggest ‘hemidemisemiquaver’.
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