2/1 The Sunday Papers

In the papers this Sunday: Bertie for President? No chance. Election to come in March? Maybe. Roy Hodgson to stay on at Anfield? Yes…for now.

The Front Pages

Now that all the New Year celebrations are over (at least for some of us), the fourth estate are returning to the daily grind of the shambolic state this country is in and what we might do to get ourselves out of it.

The Sunday Times states this morning that an election date has been set for a date in late March following a four week campaign from Fianna Fáil ministers. Don’t cast that date in stone, however, because the Labour Party have confirmed that leader Eamon Gilmore will table a motion of no confidence in the government if the election is not called before the end of January.

Sticking with the government for a moment and this morning’s Sunday Independent reveals that a massive row between ministers from Fianna Fáil and the Green Party caused the final meeting of the cabinet before Christmas to be postponed for several hours.

So serious were the divisions between the respective party members, the Indo says, over what FF cabinet members described as ‘outrageous demands’ from the Greens on the Climate Change Bill, that Attorney General Paul Gallagher was summoned to proved legal opinion on the matter.

The revelations of the tête-à-tête between the respective parties casts serious doubt over the Government’s ability to stave off the general election until late March.

There is welcome news on the front of the Sunday Independent, however, as former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has revealed that he won’t be running for the Presidency of the country.

According to a report in the paper, Bertie is understood to have decided some time ago that he would have very little chance of getting the Fianna Fáil nomination to contest the election to succeed President McAleese in 2012. And even if he did, he would not win.

Pardon JOE’s French, but the phrase ‘No shit, Sherlock’ instantly comes to mind.

The Sports Pages

Reports of Saturday’s Premier League action dominate the back pages this morning, with most of the rags choosing to focus on a last-gasp victory for Liverpool over Bolton at Anfield, which may just have saved Roy Hodgson’s bacon as manager of the Reds.

‘Scrappy New Year’ goes the headline on the back page of the Irish Daily Star Sunday, who report of Woy's insistence that he still has the support of his players if not the supporters following a 2-1 win over Owen Coyle’s side which owed largely to the influence of captain Steven Gerrard and Joe Cole’s first goal for the club in stoppage time at the end of the second half.

‘Safe for Now’ is the headline in the Sunday Times with regard to Hodgson’s future on Merseyside, while the Sunday Independent chose instead to focus on Manchester United’s incredibly lucky 2-1 win over West Brom at the Hawthorns which kept them on top of the Premier League.

‘United send ominous message to title rivals’ screams the Indo, suggesting that United’s ability to claim three points despite not playing anywhere near their best will stand them in good stead when the title race comes down for decision later this year.

It being January and all, the sports pages would not be complete without a couple of juicy transfer stories and the Sunday World are happy to oblige, suggesting that three Premier League clubs are interested in signing our very own Robbie Keane.

Forgive us for arguing the fact that the three clubs mentioned – Birmingham, Newcastle and Wolves, have been linked with the player ad nauseum since well before the start of the transfer window, but it seems that Keane will indeed be on his way out of White Hart Lane in the next month.

It would take £6 million (€7 million) to prise Keane away from North London and the Sunday World are suggesting that Birmingham is the most likely destination as Alex McLeish seeks reinforcements ahead of what is likely to be a mightily competitive relegation battle.

Away from the hustle and bustle of the Premier League, commentating great Michael O Muircheartaigh pays tribute to a gentleman of Tipperary hurling, John Doyle, who passed away earlier this week. Writing in the Irish Daily Star Sunday this morning, O Muircheartaigh speaks of the eight time All-Ireland winner in reverential tones and of his love for our native games.

Michael recalls a conversation between the pair during which Doyle said: Where would the likes of me be without it (the GAA); I was an ordinary person but through the GAA I became known and welcome all over this country.”