Inside Track: Curiosity Corner

FIND THE NAMES BEHIND THE INITIALS AG

1: A team finds it hard to score these....

2: ....and even harder to score this

3: They have one in Armagh City – and there used to be one in Dundalk

4: A television commentator who got the heave-ho

5: He played in attack for Manchester United alongside George Best and Bobby Charlton.....

6: ... and this Irish International also played for United.

7: She was the first Black tennis player to win the Wimbledon Singles

8: The home of Bristol City FC

9: One of the duo who sang a hit song which mentions the former baseball star Joe D’Maggio

10: A Derby County midfield dynamo who scored one of the great World Cup goals, playing for Scotland against Holland.

HE SAID

“I’ll sit down with the county board and obviously review it. I have a profession outside of this role that I’ve been asked to do for Dublin GAA, and then obviously I’ve family commitments as well, and it all goes into the mix, but now is not the time (to make a decision).

“I have committed to next season, so we’ll reflect on it in a couple of weeks.” Jim Gavin, just after he had led Dublin to a sixth All-Ireland title.

He subsequently stood down, handing over the reins to Dessie Farrell. It didn’t work out so well for the Dublin icon when he attempted to steer his career in a different direction this year.

FIND THE GOLFER

A Slow Henry (5, 6)

BIG GATES

All-Ireland finals nowadays attract a Croke Park crowd of in and around 83,000, all but those who populate Hill 16 seated in comfort. During the 1980s and ‘90s – major work on the refurbishment of the grounds was carried out during the latter – attendances were on average around 65,000, with Down/Dublin 1994 final as low as 58,684.

But back in the 1950s and early ‘60s, crowds reached record levels. Down’s first appearance in a final, in 1960 against Offaly, was watched by an official best-ever of 90,556.

However, while it was given as slightly above 86,000, the attendance at the final between Kerry and Armagh was thousands higher.

At a time when money was being taken at the turnstiles, a gate behind Hill 16 was smashed to the ground, giving free entry to thousands.

For the record: Louth’s 1957 meeting with Cork had 72,732 present, which was more than respectable given that there was no access to one side of the grounds, due to the Hogan Stand Mark Two being under construction.

Even though it was in the process of being built, Brazil’s Maracana Stadium was chosen as the venue for the 1950 World Cup final between the host country and Uruguay.

Attempts to confine the crowd to 150,000 were in vain. Every square inch was occupied, and even though 200,000 got to see the game, thousands more were kept outside the guarded and padlocked gates.

And the biggest attendance for a club match? That was the reported 194,603 present for the 1963 meeting of Fluminese and Flamengo in the Rio State League final. A by now completed Maracana Stadium was the venue.

THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG HERE

It’s been shown quite often on telly – no later than last week – the Republic of Ireland’s penalty shoot-out with Bulgaria at Italia '90.

Packie Bonner made a vital save, and although he had never taken a penalty beforehand, at least not in first-class football, Dave O’Leary stepped up to take what proved to be the decider. He planted the ball in the right corner.

OOPS!

Thanks to former Louth goalkeeper, Niall O'Donnell, for putting Curiosity Corner right on this one: Clan na Gael's last senior championship win was in 1998, and not 1993, as stated last week.

ANSWERS

Initials: 1 Away goals, 2 Away games; 3 Athletic Grounds, 4 Andy Gray, 5 Alan Gowling, 6 Ashley Grimes, 7 Athlea Gibson, 8 Ashton Gate, 9 Art Garfunkel, 10 Archie Gemmill. Find the golfer: Shane Lowry. There’s something wrong here: Ireland’s shoot-out was against Romania.