WHEN Henry Shefflin went to Galway, I thought of Martha Wainright’s great line in her song Factory, ‘These are not my people, I should never have come here.’ Brian Cody’s iron handshake that drew the blood from Henry’s hand and face suddenly became his legacy. Cody did not say a word to Henry that day, […]
THE NFL debuts in Croke Park next week, Steelers versus Vikings. Legendary American football broadcaster Dave Zirin, in Ireland to promote his documentary ‘Behind the Shield’ says that this is “no mere game of football”. Zirin, whose son plays quarterback for one of the top college football teams, says, “This is an act of soft […]
AS each of his plans end in triumph, I imagine Jim Gavin sitting in a hot tub, sipping champagne, smoking a fine cigar, like Hannibal in the A team, smiling and saying to himself, “I love it when a plan comes together.” He is a mysterious and unknowable man. Like The Equalizer he appears from […]
LAST Friday night in the Tyrone Senior League, Dungannon beat Trillick 0-25 to 0-17. Trillick lost heavily, despite kicking the ball over the bar more times than Dungannon and playing the better football. They lost because Dungannon have a two-point specialist, Paul Donaghy, who kicked nine two-pointers. Dungannon’s next highest scorers on the night managed […]
PAT Gilroy tells a story about Ger Brennan when he was starting his senior career with St Vincent’s. They were playing Na Fianna. Ger, who was 18 or so, was centre back, marking Kieran McGeeney, who by then was an icon of the game, former player of the year and captain of the International Rules […]
FOR David Clifford, Jim Gavin’s new rules are like a can of spinach for Popeye the sailorman. In the All-Ireland final, David had possession for a total of 43 seconds and scored 0-9 from play. In the semi-final it was only the 1-9. He scored 8-62 (86 points) in this championship campaign. This is more […]
BEFORE the Kerry game with Cavan, Paddy Andrews, Cillian O’Connor and Marc O’Sé, looking like a Take That tribute, shook their heads sadly every time Cavan were mentioned. Cavan must be bitterly regretting the day they ever beat Mayo. The following weekend, they got Donegal, enraged and motivated after their loss to Tyrone. Next up […]
CORK are a permanent anti-climax. Incapable of a definitive contribution, they are indifferent to defeat. Because they are deeply unserious, they play in the full knowledge that they are going to lose. They are not a football team, merely a gather up of boys who want to train and tog out for the county. They […]
I WAS certain, deep in my bones, that Limerick hurlers would beat Cork in the hurling. Certain in the same way that a man is when he knows he is in love. A profound, inexplicable certainty. I have a kitty with David O’Malley. He is the horsey expert. I take care of the GAA side […]
THEY opened the Knockmore social club for me for the Dublin Galway game. By quarter to five I was settled in front of GAA+ on the huge television with a pint of Guinness and a feeling that life does not get any better. If I ever win the Euromillions I’ll buy the club and hire […]
