15 of the funniest and nastiest sporting Twitter spats of the past 12 months

Christmas, as we all know, is a time for peace, love and terrible knitwear.

Which is just as well, because 2015 has been quite an acrimonious year in the world of sport - particularly in the arena of unrestrained rage that is Twitter. We've had angry fathers defending their sons, footballers coveting each other's wives and rugby players being accused of homophobia. In no particular order, here are the 15 greatest sporting Twitter spats of 2015. Do let us know if we've missed any doozies though, because we've had enough peace and love, plus this jumper is  beginning to itch.

Mo Farah versus Andy Vernon

Long distance runners quote Taylor Swift in a race to the bottom https://twitter.com/AndyVernonGB/status/567713583522643968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/AndyVernonGB/status/567713583522643968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/Mo_Farah/status/567746601394135040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/AndyVernonGB/status/567748333654278144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/AndyVernonGB/status/567755585526202368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/AndyVernonGB/status/567766031960403968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Cian Healy versus Brian Kennedy

Rugby star offends singer with off-key Tweet https://twitter.com/ProperChurch/status/609936947516166144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/KennedySinger/status/609943876565139456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/KennedySinger/status/610022737449496576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Stan Collymore versus Ian Wright

Striker and counter-striker https://twitter.com/StanCollymore/status/602040696497901569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/StanCollymore/status/602042408973553664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/IanWright0/status/602043296005881856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/IanWright0/status/602045797992128512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/IanWright0/status/602046085121646592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/IanWright0/status/602052620254105600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Cathal Pendred versus CM Punk

Welterweight scrap (*had to be edited due to length) https://twitter.com/Pendred/status/631213516347846657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/CMPunk/status/631215484143185921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/Pendred/status/631216485445275649 https://twitter.com/CMPunk/status/631222520121667588?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/Pendred/status/631224582301700096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/CMPunk/status/631225914349649920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Usain Bolt versus P**** Morgan

Fastest man puts biggest bore back in his box https://twitter.com/piersmorgan/status/662292146733637632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/usainbolt/status/662297303655452676?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/piersmorgan/status/662299107701170176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/usainbolt/status/662308045968437249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Gary Lineker versus P**** Morgan

Broadcasters' feud is always primetime https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/595311178940862464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/657985504844103685?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/piersmorgan/status/658017418783100928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/658023024629829632

Tommy Quinn versus Artem Lobov

MMA fighters get their degrees out for the lads https://twitter.com/TheRolyPolyKid/status/553602430886486018?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/RusHammerMMA/status/553605444959490048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/TheRolyPolyKid/status/553606559637733376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/RusHammerMMA/status/553608093062668288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/TheRolyPolyKid/status/553609101201383424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/RusHammerMMA/status/553609343107870720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/RusHammerMMA/status/553609735032033280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/TheRolyPolyKid/status/553621305304817664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Aidan O'Shea versus Mayo County Board

Cryptic but impactful (One to mull over) https://twitter.com/AIDOXI/status/644251421987196928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Was he referring to one of these county board decisions??? https://twitter.com/MayoGAA/status/644224445998059521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/MayoGAA/status/644235897467203585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Paul Galvin versus Irish Rail

We've all been here https://twitter.com/pgal10/status/592975140406829056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/pgal10/status/593020587670372353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Colby Covington versus Cathal Pendred

Fair to say "Chaos" won't be headlining an Irish event any time soon https://twitter.com/ColbyCovMMA/status/557009408727592960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/ColbyCovMMA/status/557209132189896704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/ColbyCovMMA/status/557369920892465152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/ColbyCovMMA/status/558718863828074497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/ColbyCovMMA/status/558790326790672384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/ColbyCovMMA/status/558801747372941313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/ColbyCovMMA/status/558778999514488832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/ColbyCovMMA/status/558794915589922817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/ColbyCovMMA/status/558878627883155456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Paddy O'Rourke versus Everybody

Meath goalkeeper retweets abuse and receives support   https://twitter.com/TheSundayGame/status/615262855751987200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Arsenal fan versus Arsenal fan

Mathematically speaking

Los Angeles Clippers versus Dallas Mavericks

Free-agent DeAndre Johnson fought for...with emojis https://twitter.com/ChandlerParsons/status/618842569133305857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/JJRedick/status/618844949413433344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/blakegriffin32/status/618847732933898240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/MikeWoodsonNBA/status/618862779533914113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/CP3/status/618851936888950784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/618849984860045312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/paulpierce34/status/618860245025030144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw But MJ wins it https://twitter.com/Jumpman23/status/618880281806786560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Sean O'Brien versus Brian O'Driscoll

This pair are like an Irish Gary and P****, but without the utter hatred https://twitter.com/BrianODriscoll/status/621362175966347264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/SeanOBrien1987/status/621392253945270278?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Adam Goodes versus booing crowds

Indigenous Aussie Rules star had enough of racist abuse, sparking Twitter storm https://twitter.com/sydneyswans/status/625307868242145284 https://twitter.com/luke_parker26/status/626013307455975424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/MickOLoughlin/status/625959873335836672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Shane Warne took a different view... https://twitter.com/ShaneWarne/status/626644517333147648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/ShaneWarne/status/626645637673676800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw