Whether to do a Zidane on it or a Paul Scholes? Anyone who knows me will have guessed the latter – albeit without the genius. Thanks for reading the odd time over the last 10 years – a decade of magical moments and devastating disappointments too. It’s been emotional. Until the next...
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Legacy for the ages
Legacy for the ages
When I was seven I had something of an obsession with a certain Canadian, an atypical hero for a boy in Butlerstown, half a world away. I first came across him in the 1981 Guinness Book of Records, and the photo capturing his courage stuck in my mind’s eye.
A future to look forward to
A future to look forward to
Watching Waterford’s minor hurlers in full early flow, then stoutly stave off an anticipated Limerick fightback in Walsh Park to qualify for a third successive Munster final at this level, you realised just how far we’ve come in these past lucky thirteen years. Though by no means the finished article, these boys are...
Sound Out
Sound Out
I never thought I’d hear myself missing Ger Canning or Marty Morrissey behind the mic’ but Sunday’s TV3 coverage of Tipp versus Clare in the Gaelic Grounds was a bit of an ear bashing. Scanning the internet for an alternative audio feed, I tuned into Clare and Tipp FMs’ commentaries, both of which had a...
Faithful departed
Faithful departed
Depending on your point of view, Michael Duignan (pictured) did a fair impression of either ‘Babs’ Keating or Saint Eligius when he went on RTÉ Radio last week to comment on the carry-on in Offaly, accusing the footballers of having no pride in the jersey and “going on the beer.”
American Idol
American Idol
Now, anything is possible. When I wrote after Augusta that the crumbling, humbling nature of his collapse could be the making of Rory McIlroy, I must admit I never foresaw what he achieved at an otherwise anti-climactic US Open last weekend. The ‘Next Tiger Woods’ tag has been dangling awkwardly around the young...
Bosses taking licence
Bosses taking licence
Mickey Harte might maintain that he and half-a-dozen other inter-county GAA managers weren’t trying to tell RTÉ what to do, but their stance over Brian Carthy was a power play too far. It’s obvious from the Tyrone boss’s unconvincing explanation that Carthy had complained to his friends on the sideline that he felt...
Prime mover?
Prime mover?
Johnny Giles is perhaps better placed than most to make a call on John O’Shea’s future. ‘The General’ left Manchester United for second-division Leeds in 1963 after realising he wasn’t going to be a regular under Matt Busby. O’Shea’s place in Fergie’s scheme of things has been written off several times in his 13...
Guts galore but title defence needs tightening
Guts galore but title defence needs tightening
Sickened but not sore, Donal O’Grady said in the immediate aftermath that his philosophy has always been the better team is the one with the winning score. Well, for all Waterford’s admirable resilience, character and efficiency, Sunday’s outcome at Semple Stadium must have put that particular belief system to the...
Quite a handful
Quite a handful
Pictured is Jamie Burns, scorer of a remarkable five goals in double winners Seaview Celtic’s 7-1 demolition of Piltown in last Wednesday’s Second Division Infirmary Cup final in Waterford’s Ozier...
Universal approval
Universal approval
What to say about Barcelona that hasn’t already been described to death since Saturday’s superlative-stretching performance in...
Excuses, excuses
Excuses, excuses
Ireland might have collected their first silverware since Jack Charlton’s team took Iceland by storm a quarter-of-a-century ago (my God we’re getting old) but by and large the inaugural Carling Nations tournament was the stuff of PR nightmares.