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Another weekend, another outrageous bet.

This weekend is action packed. There are crucial games taking place across a number of different competitions in a number of different sports.

The last four of the European Rugby Champions Cup will battle it out for a place in the final, the F.A. Cup semis take place in Wembley and the National Hurling League will be decided.

On that note, let’s take a look at this week’s selections.

Bundesliga: Cologne Vs Hoffenheim (13/10)

The first game of the accumulator is tonight’s Bundesliga clash between Cologne and Hoffenheim.

Both teams approach the final few weeks of the season with something to play for.

Hoffenheim currently occupy the final Champions League spot while Cologne are pushing for a place in the Europa League.

The away side recently claimed the scalp of Bayern Munich and will be hoping to go a step closer to securing a top-three spot with victory here.

Championship: Burton Albion Vs Leeds (6/4)

Leeds need to win this one.

The Yorkshire side have slipped out of the play-off zone following a run of bad results.

There will be an opportunity for them to close the ground on their rivals this weekend. Huddersfield play Fulham which guarantees at least one of them will drop points.

Burton Albion are not completely out of danger and will know a win here will give them a huge boost.

If Chris Wood has his shooting boots on, Leeds should have too much.

Premier League: Bournemouth Vs Middlesbrough (17/20)

The only selection from the Premier League this week comes at the Vitality Stadium.

I feel this is an extremely good price on Bournemouth. Middlesbrough are really struggling to score goals and the Cherries have no such problem.

Keeping them out has been Bournemouth’s problem but they have managed to get goals against most sides, especially at home.

Expect Bournemouth to win by a couple.

European Rugby Champions Cup: Munster Vs Saracens (7/5)

The first of the ERC semi-finals takes place at the Aviva on Saturday.

Saracens are aiming to defend their crown as they travel to Dublin to take on Munster.

The men in red have been playing with the fire of days past, this season. Saracens have strength all over the field and on their bench and it is going to be a hard fought contest.

In what should be a war of attrition, I think Munster will show enough heart to get over the line.

National Hurling League: Tipperary Vs Galway (4/7)

Sunday marks the official end of spring.

The National League draws to a close in Limerick on Sunday. As the championship approaches, both teams will be looking to put a marker down and claim some silverware.

Tipperary have had the beating of Galway over the past few seasons, particularly when it matters.

Seamus Callanan’s masterclass in last season’s All-Ireland semi saw Tipp advance to the final.

Tipperary look a level above everyone else at this stage. I expect them to win by more than the handicap.

 There are a lot of close games in this bet and they could potentially all lose but sure it’s worth a punt.

It’s that time or week again.

Time for us to reminisce and take a look at the treats the 4/20 has thrown up in recent years. 

My favourite segment this, I love a bit of nostalgia.

UFC on Fox: Thomson KO vs Diaz (2013)

Just weeks after future nemesis, Conor McGregor, made his debut, Nate Diaz suffered the only knockout loss on his record.

This was Nate’s eighteenth fight in the organisation. The Ultimate Fighter season five winner was caught with a head kick in the second and never recovered.

In Nate’s defence, he was baked in there because he and brother Nick had been blazing up for 4/20.

Thomson now fights in Bellator and was stopped in his last outing.

We all know what Diaz has gone on to do.

Also on the card, Daniel Cormier defeated Frank Mir via unanimous decision at heavyweight.

UCL Semi-Final: Inter Milan 3-1 Barcelona (2010)

The Italian commentary makes it so much better..

Jose Mourinho’s Inter side trumped over reigning champions, Barcelona, at the San Siro.

The previous summer, Zlatan Ibrahimovic traded Milan for Cataluña but it was an unhappy return for the Swede.

Pedro gave Barcelona an early lead before Sneijder replied before half-time. Zlatan’s replacement, Milito scored to add a Maicon goal. It was a lead that Inter wouldn’t squander.

Barcelona won the second leg 1-0.

Inter won the tournament to cap the club’s first treble.

Premier League: Tottenham 3-3 Arsenal (2011)

One derby that rarely disappoints is North London.

Recently, we have been treated to some classics; the 4-4 at the Emirates, the 3-2 win for Spurs in 2010, Arsenal’s 5-4 win at the Lane in ’04.

This one was up there.

In what was a frantic start, the Gunners led 2-1 by the twelfth minute.

Walcott’s opener was cancelled out by Van der Vaart, before Nasri restored the Arsenal’s lead.

Arsenal were 3-2 up at the break, with Huddlestone and Van Persie trading strikes.

The second half was a quieter affair, Van der Vaart scored his second equaliser and Spurs earned a point.

La Liga: Deportivo La Coruna 0-8 Barcelona (2016)

One from the continent to finish up.

It was the Luis Suarez show this time last year, as he scored half of Barcelona’s tally in an eight goal trouncing.

MSN were on fire last season and all three netted in this one.

Rakitic and Bartra chipped in with the rest, as the Catalan giants cruised to victory.

It’s an uphill battle for Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona.

Barcelona will be looking for another miracle at they aim to overturn a 3-0 deficit against Juventus. The Old Lady of Italian football will hope that they can succeed where PSG failed, and earn a spot in the last-four.

In the night’s other game, Borussia Dortmund trail by a single goal as they travel to the French principality to take on Monaco.

The opening leg was marred by the terrorist attack on Dortmund’s bus. The home players were visibly rocked by the events and Monaco capitalised.

For the second round in a row, Barcelona approach their home leg as massive underdogs.

Although they produced a miraculous comeback to dispose of PSG, a repeat tonight is highly unlikely.

Juventus, like any Italian side worth their sod, base their game on defensive solidity. With Chiellini, Barzagli, Bonucci still knocking around, it is difficult to see Barca penetrating them

Of course, Barcelona have one of the greatest attacks of all time and they will need MSN at the top of their game. Even still, how can you feel confident of them scoring the goals they need AND keeping Juventus scoreless?

The attacking threat of Juve does not get the praise it deserves.

Dybala, Madzukic, Higuain, Cuadrado. That is as good of an attack as you would find anywhere on the continent.

Khedira and Pjanic pull the strings in midfield and allow the attacking contingent to weave their magic.

Allegri has brought balance to the side since taking over from Conte. His project is coming to fruition and there is a sense that this is their year.

In all honesty, I see Juve getting a result here.

Even with the lead, they will want to lay down the gauntlet to the rest of the competition. I see this one being a score draw with Dybala to score.

With Bayern eliminated, the hopes of the Bundesliga rest on Dortmund.

Thomas Tuchel’s side are up against it.

They were unable to stop Monaco’s free-flowing attack. Kylian Mbappe enhanced his increasingly growing reputation by netting twice in his side’s 3-2 victory.

Monaco have been scintillating to watch this season. Their open style often costs them goals but, boy, are they trendy.

Made up of a number of youth team graduates, they play with innocence and freedom.

Buoyed by Lemar, Mbappe and Bakayoko, with Falcao at the fulcrum, they usually wow their audience.

Dortmund are hardly shy on front of goal either.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been one of Europe’s hottest prospects for a number of seasons.

Supported by Kagawa, Reus, Dembele and Schurrle, Dortmund come to the party with their own bag of tricks.

This one really is on a knife-edge.

Monaco’s tendency to ship goals, means that their three away goals might not be crucial.

Both teams will go for it, it’s all they know. We may well see another five-plus goal thriller.

They say you should trust your instincts, mine are telling me Dortmund will knick it.

This time tomorrow, the picture will be clearer.

Semi-Finals take centre-stage on Sunday.

With the hurling league drawing to its conclusion, there are two huge ties on the menu.

Wexford will aim to build on their win over Kilkenny, when they face All-Ireland champions Tipperary in Nowlan Park. In the second game of the day, Limerick host Galway in what should be a fiercely fought contest.

Davy Fitz’s side will be out to prove that their win over the Cats was an indication of what’s to come. Wexford were superb in their quarter-final win. The five-point margin could have been a lot more had it not been for some excellent goalkeeping from Eoin Murphy.

We have seen it before. Davy always manages to inspire the best from his teams. His sides may not have been blessed with the quality of Kilkenny or Tipperary, but they have never been found wanting for heart.

Tipp are coming into this game on the back of annihilating Offaly.

In what was their easiest outing to date, Callanan and co made light work of the Faithful County. Although Wexford will provide a sterner test, Tipp will be favourites in this one.

It should be an open game, with both teams capable of putting the ball in the net. Wexford’s trio of McDonald, Chin and Morris will provide the threat.

Any one of Tipp’s forwards, including their subs, are likely to grab a goal which is why I see them winning this one.

In the later game, two Division 1B teams will slog it out for their shot at glory.

Limerick and Galway will meet in the Gaelic Grounds for the second time in a few weeks.

On the first occasion, Galway left with a three-point win. After an entertaining first half, David Burke grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and guided the Tribesmen to victory.

Burke’s six points, from play, were what got Galway over the line and ensured their place in the quarter-finals.

In truth, there is not much to separate the sides. Both have top class forwards and both showed tremendous guts in their last game.

Limerick are a bit more reliant on Shane Dowling than Galway are on Joe Canning and I think that is what will be the difference. I would love to see Limerick get to the final, but I think Galway will shade it.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the first player to score 100 goals in European club competition.

Just another day at the office for Ronaldo. Another European game, two more goals and another milestone.

The Portuguese talisman achieved the feat in just 143 games.

This puts him three goals clear of Lionel Messi at the top of the pile.

As we know from watching Ronaldo for years, his goals come from anywhere. We decided to give you a breakdown of the ex-United man’s European goals.

Ronaldo opened his European account for Manchester United in a qualifying game against Debrecen in 2005. 

Since then, the Madrid attacker has scored against anyone and everyone he has faced.

Favourite Opposition:

German teams have faced the brunt of his force. Twenty of his goals have come against Bundesliga teams.

Ronaldo has scored six times in five games against Bayern Munich, and seven  in four against Schalke.

He has netted thirteen times against Italy’s top sides, scoring against Roma, Inter, Juventus and A.C. Milan.

Punches in Bunches:

When Ronaldo scores once, expect him to score again.

The goal-machine has scored five hat-trick in the Champions League. The only person with more is Messi, who has seven.

On 26 occasions in the Champions League, Ronaldo has scored more than one goal. 

A Constant Threat:

Unlike other players, Ronaldo is effective in every aspect of attack.

He has the ability to smash one in from thirty yards with either foot. He can out-jump an opponent by a foot and smash a header into the corner. He can bury a free-kick from forty yards.

Ronaldo has scored ten free-kicks and eleven penalties in the competition. 

He has nodded home 16-times and put away fourteen with his left-foot.

Complete all-rounder.

Scores When it Matters:

In his United days, people claimed Ronaldo didn’t show up for the big games.

His career has gone on to prove that such a statement is total nonsense.

As mentioned before, Ronaldo always shows up against the big opposition. He also shows up on the big stage.

Ronaldo has scored in both legs of the last-16 ties for the last five years running. He has scored 17-goals at this stage of the competition.

He has also scored in two finals and has a brace in the SuperCup game.

9 semi-final goals to add to his 18 in the quarters, really show that Ronaldo stands up to be counted.

Conclusion:

The truth is, we probably don’t appreciate Ronaldo as much as we should.

We are blessed to be living in an era where two of the greatest to ever lace a pair of boots are gracing the pitch simultaneously.

It is easy to choose sides between Ronaldo and Messi but both are utter genius.

This stage of the tournament rarely disappoints, this week was no different.

Football was put into context this week. What we witnessed off the pitch threatened to mar events but what we saw on the pitch was sensational.

A terrorist attack, involving Borussia Dortmund’s bus, meant their tie with Monaco was postponed until Wednesday.

Juventus and Barcelona’s Turin tussle would take centre-stage and a star would come of age.

Pablo Dybala is one of Europe’s hottest prospects and he showed why, with two stunningly taken goals.

Chiellini added a third with a header, to put Juventus in a commanding position heading to the Nou Camp.

If it were any other side, you would probably say that there is no coming back. Never rule Barca out after their miracle against PSG.

Monaco and Dortmund put on a thriller in their rescheduled game.

Twice Monaco had a two goal cushion, but Dortmund were able to claw them back to the minimum.

The two sides have been involved in some of the most pulsating games in the competition this season. Goals are abundant and this game was no different.

Following Fabinho’s missed penalty, Monaco took the lead through eighteen year-old sensation Kylian Mbappe.

A Sven Bender own goal, put Monaco two goals to the good before the break.

Dortmund looked understandably out of sorts, but got a goal back shortly after half time through Ousmane Dembele.

The home side pressed but were made to pay as Mbappe scored his second, with just over ten minutes left to play. 

Kagawa pulled one back, but it is advantage Monaco with three away-goals.

Dortmund are capable of scoring in the Principality but it is hard to see them keeping a clean-sheet. Monaco’s fearless approach should see them to the semi-finals.

It was a bad night all around for the German sides, as Bayern lost at home to Real Madrid.

Bayern will be kicking themselves as they will feel they could have won this one.

The home side controlled the opening half and deserved to go in ahead at the break.

Arturo Vidal scored the game’s opener following a siege of corners from Bayern Munich. The corner count was at six when Vidal nodded home. His goal count should have been at two, before the break.

Bayern were awarded a penalty when Frank Ribery’s curling shot was deemed to be a handball, despite appearing to come off the shoulder of Carvajal.

Vidal blasted his spot-kick over the bar and justice was served.

At the time the penalty was awarded, Real were starting to play their way into the game. 

After half-time they were rewarded. Ronaldo looked in the mood all night and got Madrid on terms. Carvajal delivered from the right and Ronaldo guided his volley past Neuer.

Munich were reduced to ten men, when Javi Martinez received a second yellow for a cynical foul on Ronaldo.

Real were providing all the threat and were awarded for their pressure with just under fifteen on the clock.

Substitute, Marcos Asensio, gathered the ball on the left wing and played it into the six-yard box. Ronaldo beat the defender to the ball and prodded it between the legs of Manuel Neuer, his one-hundredth goal in European competition.

There is a lot of work left for Bayern to do in Madrid if they are to qualify. Real and Ronaldo will be aiming for an unprecedented back-to-back Champions League titles.

Should be a cracking second leg.

The city’s other giants were also in action as Atletico took on the Premier League’s sole survivors.

Leicester City have been defying the odds for some time now and still have hope going into the second leg. A one-nil defeat is far from the worst result at the Vicente Calderon, one of Europe’s most daunting stadiums.

Antoine Griezmann scored the decisive goal as Atletico won to nil again. The goal came courtesy of a controversial penalty. 

Marc Albrighton was deemed to have fouled the Frenchman in the box. Replays suggested the foul was outside the area.

Leicester managed to keep Atletico at bay for the remainder of the game. They will fancy their chances with the crowd behind them at the King Power stadium.

Would you rule them out?

So that leaves it all to play for as we head towards the second legs.

Juventus, Monaco and the boys from Madrid are in the driving seat with all roads leading to Cardiff.

For Leicester, Bayern and Dortmund there is a glimmer of hope. Barcelona need a new miracle at the Nou Camp, stranger things have happened. 

If Barcelona reach the upside-down and turn the tie around, they must be destined for the crown.

It’s the first big day of the Gaelic Football calendar.

The Division One final takes centre stage, as Dublin take on Kerry in Croke Park. 

Thankfully it is not the only action we’ll be treated to at HQ. Kildare and Galway contest the curtain raiser to decide who will be crowned Division Two champions.

The action begins at 2pm, when Kildare and Galway lock horns for the second time in a week. Kildare put out a much changed side at Pearse stadium and were on the wrong end of a one-point game.

Cian O’Neill is renowned for his tactical nous and would have been keeping his cards close to his chest in the first tie.

Galway, on the other hand, needed the win so were forced to field their strongest team. O’Neill would have got a good look at his opponents with the final in mind.

Perhaps a few players put their hand up for a starting berth. There were some decent performances but expect to see some of the other players restored.

I expect the Lilywhites to win for two reasons.

Firstly, I’m from Kildare so I think they are going to win every match and every trophy. All of this despite having just one Division Two title to show for the last fifteen-years.

Secondly, I think they will be fresher having had the luxury of resting a few players last week.

It may well be a Leinster double this afternoon.

The Dubs are favourites going into the game and rightly so. 

Despite three draws in the pool stages, Dublin have not lost a game since Longford beat them in the 2016 O’Byrne Cup.

It was a back-and-forth struggle, when the teams met in Tralee earlier in the year.

A last minute score salvaged Dublin a stalemate, as it has done so often.

Kerry are one team that don’t tend to get fazed by the bright lights of Croke Park. Although they have been on the losing side in recent years, Kerry are always at their best.

The two giants of G.A.A have treated us to some classics of late. Today’s game may not have that end of season flow but it will be hotly contested.

Kerry love to beat Dublin, but it is not a familiar feeling to them lately. They will be reeling that they let the game in Austin Stacks park slip through their fingers.

Dublin in their own back yard are a different kettle of fish. The Hill won’t be at its loudest tomorrow but expect a big crowd behind the boys in blue.

As much as I would love to see Kerry do the business, it is nearly impossible to go against Dublin.

Everything is pointing to a great day’s entertainment at Croker.

The Lilywhites and Galway to whet your appetite, before the big one between the country’s most successful counties.

We’re really pushing the envelope with this one.

There are a lot of top ties in play this weekend. With a lot of 50/50 games we aimed for a good return from this five-fold.

West Brom VS Southampton 2/1

Worth the punt for the price alone.

The Baggies are on the back of two great results. A victory over Arsenal, backed up with a draw at Old Trafford will give the home side confidence in this one.

Southampton have been blighted with injuries in recent weeks.

Bournemouth Vs Chelsea 3/5

Both teams picked up great results midweek.

Chelsea will be looking to take a step closer to the title with a win at the Vitality Stadium.

Bournemouth are too open at the back to curb the Chelsea attack.

Fancy the Blues to win comfortably

Sheffield Wednesday Vs Newcastle 29/20

Newcastle tend to be pipping the teams at the top when it comes to the head-to-head clashes.

Wednesday’s form has dipped in recent weeks and play-offs are in doubt.

A win for the Magpies will edge them closer to the big time.

Real Madrid Vs Atletico Madrid 7/10

Real targeted La Liga as their primary objective this season.

Having won the Champions League twice in the last three years, it is time to conquer domestic competition again.

A win against their local rivals will see them in the driving seat as the finish line approaches.

Anthony Johnson 1st Round Finish Vs Daniel Cormier 11/4

Let’s face it, if he’s going to win he will probably do it in the first.

Being such an explosive, muscular fighter, Johnson comes out of the blocks fast.

Cormier had a rough weight-cut and may be jaded.

In the first fight, Cormier ate some massive shots early. Rumble will be hoping that they finish DC this time.

The odds on this five-fold is over 100/1, so why not have a little flutter.

Dana, 60 G’S BABY!

Four words, four years on seem laughable.

On this day in 2013, Conor McGregor fought in the UFC for the first time.

Riding an eight-fight win streak the Irishman was confident in preparation. He was two-weight world champion, claiming both the featherweight and lightweight Cage Warriors titles.

The hype surrounding McGregor was still very much within the MMA, a sport which was yet to hit the mainstream in Ireland.

The man-bun having, tailored-suit wearing, smack-talking MMA-heads had yet to appear.

This date is a landmark in the landscape of Irish sport. What was once viewed as barbaric, was now getting recognised for the technical beauty of what it is.

One man has changed the perception of a nation.

One nation has changed it’s perception of a sport.

Now, that same man can change the complexion of the fighting world.

When he joined the UFC, McGregor’s aim was to replicate his Cage Warriors success. He viewed himself as a two-weight world champion and he was determined to prove it, regardless of the organisation.

The Notorious achieved his goals with relative ease. He has attained a record of 8-0 in the UFC featherweight and lightweight divisions. All but one ending in knockout.

His only loss was at welterweight and was avenged in one of the most epic wars in UFC history.

As he enters his fifth year in the mainstream, McGregor has risen head and shoulders above his UFC colleagues.

Only one challenge is tempting him now. That challenge is to beat Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match; mission impossible.

An unprecedented MMA Vs Boxing match draws nearer with the Nevada State Athletic Commission indicating that they would sanction any potential clash.

Such is the incline of McGregor’s status, no fighter in the UFC could develop the attention for McGregor to make top-dollar.

The Irishman has been allured to a rival sport to male the multi-million payday he craves.

Not only is Floyd an outstanding boxer, his business tact is on another level.

How could he turn down this fight?

On paper it is his easiest bout, despite McGregor attracting the lion’s share of the audience. Conor is the bigger star and Floyd will milk him for what it is worth.

The risk is quite low for both fighters. 

Is McGregor’s reputation ruined if he is defeated? Absolutely not.

He will lick his wounds, cash his cheque and return to the UFC as the lightweight champion.

If he wins, he will catapult into the stratosphere of superstardom. 

If you thought he couldn’t get any bigger, you will be proved wrong. He would have to go down as the greatest fighter of all time.

Conquering two world, three if you include horse racing.

There is more on the line for boxing as a sport than for either fighter. Sure Mayweather will be lambasted from pillar to post if he loses, but the sport dies if he is defeated.

MMA is usurping the boxing market. How could the integrity remain if their greatest of all time is defeated by a rookie.

Although there is yet to be official confirmation, everything is indicating that this will happen.

In recent years, this date has been critical across a number of competitions.

The stakes tend to be high with any fixture at this time of year. Seasons are drawing to a close and European competition is in its knockout phase.

Accordingly, we open with a couple of games from the continental cup competitions.

Toulon 29-14 Leinster: 2014 Heineken Cup Quarter-Final

Stade Mayol was the venue for the last-eight tie between, dream-team, Toulon and an ageing Leinster side.

There had been heavy investment in the southern-French side and they were returning in abundance.

In search of consecutive titles, they won a titanic battle with Leinster. In doing so, they put a nail in the coffin of the golden generation of Irish club rugby.

The likes of O’Driscoll and D’Arcy were on the way out and this result kick-started the transition.

PSG 2-2 Manchester City: 2016 Champions League Semi-Final

Only a year ago, this may be fresh in the memory.

In what would be Ibrahimovic’s last season in the French capital, PSG were hoping to send him off in style. Zlatan missed a pen in this game but went on to score PSG’s first in the 41st minute.

PSG took the lead but City clawed them back.

Manchester City would go on to the last-four for the first time in their history. Reaching uncharted territory under the stewardship on Manuel Pelligrini.

Everton 3-0 Arsenal: 2014 Premier League

At the time, it was a pretty significant result.

Both teams were in serious competition for a top four spot.

Prior to kick-off, the Toffees were fifth, four points behind Arsenal, who occupied fourth. Arsenal had played a game more so a win for Everton would leave their fate in their own hands.

Everton came out the blocks harder than Floyd Mayweather goes at his girlfriends. They rushed into a two goal lead, with Lukaku tormenting the Arsenal defence.

Arsenal had the last laugh as they finished fourth, seven points ahead of Everton.

Conor McGregor KO Vs Marcus Brimage: UFC on Fuel TV 9

Last but obviously not least.

The Notorious was a rather unknown entity, four years ago.

Within the MMA circles, the hype was building. Boasting a fierce reputation in Europe, McGregor was eager to prove his worth in the UFC.

We all know what happened next. McGregor has changed every aspect of the game.