May is Cup Finals month, and the best place to watch a cup final is in a local pub where you can plonk yourself on a seat that offers the best view of an LCD screen and a pint of cold ale. So why not make a party out of it with a group of friends, and cheer (or boo) along with other footy fanatics in a friendly environment?

Watering holes that often have great atmosphere (and big screens) during live matches include Molly Malone’s and Penny Black in Boat Quay, and Muddy Murphy’s and Ice Cold Beer in Orchard. Even new bar-cum-restuarants such as the Pump Room in Clarke Quay have LCD screens installed. Just remember to check with venues whether they keep the sound on or off.

First up is the UEFA Cup Final (16 May), the poor cousin of the more glamorous UEFA Champions League. The second-tier but impressive Spanish teams (Sevilla, Espanyol and Osasuna) are the seeming hot favourites to make it to Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

On 19 May, the 126th edition of the English FA Cup, the world’s oldest football cup tournament, returns to Wembley after a seven-year absence. And as destiny would have it, the two top EPL teams Manchester United and Chelsea will go head-to-head.

Last but not least, the UEFA Champions League Final (23 May) will bring the curtain down on the 2006/2007 football season in Athens, Greece. Some EPL fans are hoping for yet another Chelsea vs Manchester United final for the endgame, but supporters of Liverpool and AC Milan, the 2005 finalists, surely have other ideas. MT