Inside Track: Curiosity Corner

FIND THE NAME BEHIND THE INITIALS FF

1: The race is usually decided in this....

2:...and it helps to be able to put in this

3: His real Christian name is Andrew

4: A sprinter who won four Olympic Silver medals

5: If you back this in a horse race you’re on the shortest-priced runner

6: Not part of a conscientious athlete’s diet

7: It’s every Gaelic, rugby and hurling player’s aim to make this

8: It brings the story up to date - and is a speedy attacker

9: Rory Beggan, Ryan O’Toole, Kieran Hughes etc

10: He was named on Louth’s Team of the Millennium

HE SAID

“Pep will be successful wherever he goes, because he’s a diligent worker and has a vision of football that’s understandable anywhere. He is a genius.

“Geniuses have difficulties in life once in a while, but their brilliance wins in the end. Pep is a genius like Uli Hoeness, who has also not had an easy life all the time, but in the end genius will prevail.”

Former Bayern Munich, Matthias Sammer, predicting a bright future for Pep Guardiola as Manchester City manager, back in 2016. Spot on, Matthias, Pep has since guided City to six Premier League wins, two FA Cups, and a European League.

Hoeness, a former German International and Bayern Munich President, was just released from jail at the time after serving a 20-month sentence for tax evasion.

THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG HERE

Henry Shefflin, one of the greats of Kilkenny hurling, a winner of numerous All-Irelands and All-Stars, caused a bit of a stir in his native county, when, after ending his playing career took over as Galway manager. Success didn’t follow.

After Glway had been beaten by Kilkenny in a Leinster final, there was a bit of a Croke Park stand-off between himself and his former manager Brian Cody. Since then, Shefflin has taken over the running of Kilkenny club, Bennettsbridge.

WHO AM I?

Everyone is wondering what I’m going to do next. That’s because there’s been talk of my retirement, ending a career in which I’ve won everything as an amateur and professional. I may take to a brae for a walk before making up my mind.

NORMAL SERVICE RESUMED

Having spent weeks on the sidelines through injury, leading jockey, Ryan Moore, was back in action last Wednesday, and he celebrated by guiding home a winner.

Even those with only a passing interest in horse racing would know that Moore is a vital cog in Aidan O’Brien’s winning machine, the one on board on many of Ballydoyle’s best big race winners.

No need to tell the Moore family that race riding is a game fraught with danger. While dad was on the wings, his son, Toby, made a winning start to his career, no doubt having taken valuable tuition from senior.

But within a few weeks of riding his most recent winner, teenager Toby broke his collarbone, and is now out of action until March.

On his return to the saddle, the question is: will he come up against his father. It wouldn’t be the first time for a father versus son contest in recent years.

Johnny and David Egan, neither a stranger to Dundalk’s all-weather, have often gone into the stalls together, and there’s been no ‘after you’ about it.

FIND THE ENGLISH SOCCER GROUNDS

Dad on minus lot (6, 7)

JUST IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Another mention for Ballygunner: They beat Clare’s Éire Óg on Sunday last to win the Munster hurling championship for the sixth time.

That puts the Waterford champions top of the table, one better than the famed Blackrock, from Cork, who set the previous record back in the 1970s.

It was only in 2018 that the Gunners took off in the provincial title-winning run, and since then have also won an All-Ireland.

They now play the winners of last Saturday night’s Leinster decider in the All-Ireland semi-final on December 19th, the same day as Galway champions, Loughrea, take on Slaughtneil, the Derry and Ulster winners.

Those red-and-black jerseys are lucky.

ANSWERS

Names behind the initials: 1 Final Furlong, 2 Fast Finish, 3 Freddie Flintoff, 4 Frankie Fredericks, 5 First Favourite, 6 Fast Food, 7 First Fifteen, 8 Fast Forward, 9 Farney Footballers, 10 Frank Fagan. Find the English grounds: London Stadium. Who Am I? Katie Taylor.