Ireland 1–0 Estonia (1 March) Finland 1–2 Northern Ireland (16 August) Uruguay 1–0 Northern Ireland (21 May) (in United States) Romania 2–0 Northern Ireland (26 May) (in United States) Setanta Cup Winners: Drogheda United Irish League Winners: Linfield F.C. Irish Cup Winners: Linfield 2–1 Glentoran FAI Carlsberg Cup Winners: Derry City 4–3 St Patrick's Athletic (after extra time) December – George Best Memorial Trust launches a fund-raising drive to raise £200,000 in subscriptions to pay for a life-size bronze sculpture of George Best. Gaelic games Christy Ring Cup Winners: Antrim (Antrim 5–13 : 1–07 Carlow) Nicky Rackard Cup Winners: Derry (Derry 5–15 : 1–11 Donegal) Golf Europe win the 2006 Ryder Cup, held in Kildare Golf and Country Club, Straffan, Co. Kildare from 22 to 24 September. British Ladies Amateur Golf Championship was held at Royal County Down Golf Club, (winner: Belen Mozo). Ice Hockey Belfast Giants won the Elite Ice Hockey League championship. Motorcycling 13 May – North West 200 2006 motor cycle road racing took place. Robert Dunlop won one of the races, the 15th North West 200 win in his career. 4 July – Joey Dunlop posthumously awarded an honorary Doctorate of the University (DUniv) from the University of Ulster in Coleraine. 9 September – Darran Lindsay, killed while practising for the Killalane road races, near Dublin. Rugby Union RBS Six Nations Championship Ireland 26–16 Italy France 43–31 Ireland Ireland 31–5 Wales Ireland 15–9 Scotland England 24–28 Ireland '''Ireland claimed the triple crown Deaths 5 January – Merlyn Rees 85, third Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. 7 January – Alf McMichael, footballer (born 1927). 8 January – Tony Banks, Baron Stratford, former Labour Party MP and Minister for Sport (born 1943) 4 April – Denis Donaldson, volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army, member of Sinn Féin, exposed in 2005 as an informer (born 1950). 11 April – Siobhán O'Hanlon, Sinn Féin official (born 1963). 30 April – Billy McComb, magician and comedian (born 1922). 22 May – Richard McIlkenny, one of the Birmingham Six. 21 June – Denis Faul, monsignor, Northern Ireland civil rights activist, chaplain to prisoners in Maze Prison during 1981 Irish Hunger Strike (born 1932). 17 August – Ken Goodall, international rugby player (born 1947). 20 August – Bryan Budd, Parachute Regiment Corporal killed on active service in Afghanistan and posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross (born 1977). 5 September – Anne Gregg