Inside Track: Curiosity Corner

KNOW YOUR INITIALS

It’s GC this week

1: They say you waste a good walk on one of these......

2:.......and you may have one of these with you

3: He starred in the sports film, Leatherheads

4: The Bhoys

5: An Irish-American boxer who twice fought for the World Heavyweight title

6: They were racing for it at Cheltenham last week

7: Clan na Gael, Kilkerley Emmets, St Mochta’s etc

8: Drop the ’DES’ and you have the name of a failed Irish banker at Cheltenham

9: A goal in the last minute can be this – with a hyphen thrown in

10: English footballers and their wives or girlfriends sometime find themselves in these

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HE SAID

“We’d like to thank Jack and his management team for their work over the last number of years. We wish them the best into the future, and hopefully, if things come right, they’ll come back to us.”

Patrick O’Sullivan, chairman Kerry County Board. The ‘Jack’ was of course Jack O’Connor, and ‘they’ were the other members of his management team.

O’Connor had just announced he was standing down. It was the second time he’d taken this decision. His initial term lasted from 2004 to 2006, and in that time his side contested three All-Irelands, winning two.

He was back in business for another three-year term in 2009 and scored a third All-Ireland that year. Defeat by Down in an extraordinary 2010 championship left Kerry out the All-Irelands semi-finals for the first time in 11 years.

The following year there was an All-Ireland final appearance, one in which Kerry were mugged by Dublin right on the line.

O’Connor stayed on the following year and once again was involved on the game’s biggest day. This, however, ended in another defeat, Kerry unable to find an answer to the hybrid Donegal had brought to Croke Park.

O’Connor stood down once again after that 2012 defeat. Successful spells with the county minors – one of whom, David Clifford, is now arguably the country’s best – came after that, along with a spell with the Kildare seniors.

He made his second Kerry comeback in 2021, taking over from Éamon Fitzmaurice, and again got among the winners, bringing up his fourth All-Ireland. Patrick O’Sullivan can have n doubt that things came right.

WHO AM I?

I don’t own an Aston Martin or a villa in Spain, though if I wanted to buy one or the other, or maybe both, I wouldn’t have to take out a loan.

I was able to score goals with my former club at a time when the team had a united front, but am now happy to come in with a few assists.

IT’S A FACT

Without doubt the most rewarding signing Kenny Dalglish made as Blackburn Rovers was to bring Alan Shearer to Ewood Park. He was taking a gamble, however.

While playing with Southampton, Shearer had managed just 23 goals in 118 league appearances. But the England centre-forward was much sharper around goals in his new colours.

When Blackburn won the Premier League in 1995, he netted 34 times in 42 games. The fee Blackburn paid Southampton was a British record at the time: £3.3m.

THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG HERE

Barry McGuigan, born in Clones, showed promise as an amateur boxer, winning Irish titles and representing his country at the Moscow Olympics.

When he turned professional, he continued to get decisions, and in 1985 faced up to Eusebio Pedroza at Loftus Road, in London, the World Lightweight title at stake.

On an emotional night at the QPR grounds, he had his opponent on the canvas before going on to win a 15-5ound contest on points. He made a couple of successful defences of his title, before losing to Steve Cruz under a blazing sun in Las Vegas.

ANSWERS

Know Your Initials: 1 Golf Course, 2 Golf Caddie, 3 George Clooney, 4 Glasgow Celtic, 5 Gerry Cooney, 6 Gold Cup, 7 Gaelic (GAA) Clubs, 8 Gallopin (Des) Champs, 9 Game-changer, 10 Gossip Columns. Who Am I? Marcus Rashford. There’s Something Wrong Here: Barry McGuigan won the World Featherweight title.