Manager Jim McGuinness won many plaudits for his tactical expertise and man-management skills and was subsequently appointed to a part-time role working with young players at Scottish Premier League champions Celtic.
At club level, Crossmaglen and Loughgiel made it an Ulster double by claiming All-Ireland titles in football and hurling respectively.
In football, Northern Ireland started 2012 with a new manager in Michael O’Neill but have yet to win a match under the new boss, while Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni came under pressure after a disappointing showing in the Euro 2012 finals.
The highlight of the year for Northern Ireland fans was a deserved 1-1 draw with Portugal in a Euro 2012 qualifier in Porto in October.
Domestically, Linfield won another league and cup double while Crusaders lifted the League Cup and the All-Ireland Setanta Cup.
Northern Ireland-born Brendan Rodgers took over as manager of Liverpool in June and Manchester United played an Irish League Select in a testimonial match for Harry Gregg at Windsor Park.
In motorcycling, Jonathan Rea and Eugene Laverty took wins in the World Superbike Championship, but were unable to sustain a strong challenge for the title.
Keith Farmer was crowned British Superstock 1000 champion , while Alastair Seeley stole the show at the North West 200 with three victories and three second places.
Michael Dunlop brought his tally of Isle of Man TT wins to three with a success in the Supersport class, and followed that up with a double at the Ulster Grand Prix at Dundrod and August.
Ryan Farquhar again dominated the national road racing scene, but called time on his career after the death of his uncle, Trevor Ferguson, at the Manx Grand Prix.
The Belfast Giants were crowned Elite League champions in 2012 as ice hockey continued to attract healthy attendances at the Odyssey Arena.
Boxer Carl Frampton’s star continued to rise and the north Belfast super bantamweight hopes to close in on a world title shot in 2013 but Brian Magee’s stint as WBA super-middleweight champion proved a short one as he was stopped in three rounds by Mikkel Kessler in early December.
Ireland’s cricketers began the year by safely qualifying progressing from the World Twenty20 qualifier in Dubai but the awful summer weather meant a frustrating finish to the season for Phil Simmons’ squad.
The big set-piece occasion of the summer, the one-day international against Australia at Stormont on 23 June, was rained off after only 10.4 overs of play.
The rain even followed the Irish to Sri Lanka in September as their decisive clash with the West Indies had to be abandoned which meant for an early exit from the World Twenty20 after their opening defeat by Australia.
It was also a year of disappointment for Ireland’s hockey squad as the men and women both fell at the final hurdle as they chased Olympic qualification.
The Irish men endured particular heartbreak as they suffered a final-second defeat by Korea in a game where they winners would have secured a place in London.
The women were also one win away from Olympic qualification but were well beaten by hosts Belgium in the decisive match.
Financial woes later almost forced the Irish men’s withdrawal from the Champions Challenge event in Argentina before a public fundraising campaign enabled the squad to make the trip.