Curiosity Corner

KNOW YOUR INITIALS

It’s AC this week

1: Her uncle won an All-Ireland with Louth and played soccer with the Republic of Ireland

2: He‘s a former Galway hurling manager

3: So Be It around a turn on this course

4: He played in the Premiership....

5:.......and so did this chap with much the same name

6: Never really made it at Liverpool. How could he with a surname like his?

7: Cushendall hurling club have their homes grounds on the.......

8: He’s a former BBC soccer commentator

9: Irish-born jockey who Put The Kettle On twice at Cheltenham. He’s now retired

10: Captain of Kilkenny’s All-Ireland-winning hurling team of 2002

IT HAPPENED AT THE OLYMPICS

Could you imagine a boxer being a bob-sleigher? Eddie Egan was, and what’s more the American took Olympic Gold in both sports. He won the light-heavyweight title at Antwerp in 1920, and 12 years later was a member of the USA team that won the four-man bobsled at the Winter Games in Lake Placid....

Terry McHugh and Pat McDonagh made history on the double in Albertville in 1992. They were first from Ireland to compete in the Winter Games, taking part in the two-man bobsled, having previously competed in the Summer Olympics. A javelin-thrower, McHugh took in each renewal of the Summer Games, from 1988 to 2000....

Only one cycling event took place at the 1912 Stockholm Games – but what a race it was. The course was 320km long, and when South African, Rudolph Lewis, crossed the winning line, the clock stopped at just over 10 hours. Rudolph complained afterwards of being saddle-sore...

Ireland’s Lord Killanin was president of the powerful IOC (International Olympic Committee) for eight years, 1872 to 1980....

Seoul, in 1988, marked the return of tennis as an Olympic sport, Steffi Graf winning the ladies singles. It had previously been held in Paris 1924....

Biggest surprise at Seoul was the defeat of Ed Moses in the 400m hurdles final. Seeking a third Gold in succession, Moses was beaten into third behind fellow American, Andre Phillips....

Hassiba Boulmerka didn’t get the congratulations she deserved when she arrived home after winning the 1500m in 1992. Reason? She had run with her legs uncovered, and this rankled with some in Algeria...

“I have been dishonest, and you have the right to be angry with me. I have let my family down, I have let my country down, and I have let myself down.” Marion Jones, who, after winning five medals, three of them Gold, at Sydney 2000, was stripped of her titles having being found to have taken performance-enhancing drugs.....

Paula Radcliffe would have no reason to look back at Athens 2004 with any great affection. Five days after dropping out of the marathon, the same fate befell her in the 10,000m. A three-time winner of both the London and New York marathons, the English runner recovered to win the marathon at the following year’s World Championships.....

FIND THE IRISH RACECOURSE

Pick Dart Now (11)

HE SAID

“It’s great fun, I really enjoy it and I’m not intending to change. It might not be so much fun otherwise. The good thing is that we might have some cash in the coffers to buy some new horses.” Dr Richard Newland, after the horse he owned and trained, Pineau De Re, won the 2014 Aintree Grand National. The 25/1 shot was ridden by 37-year-old Irish-born Leighton Aspell, who, seven years earlier had retired, but came back 18 months later. Newland made some controversial remarks a few months ago about the dominance Irish trainer, Willie Mullins, is exercising on the big Cheltenham and Aintree meetings.

THE NAME IS THE SAME (Give or take an ‘L’)

A recent part-owner of Dundalk FC and a former English League player known as ‘Sniffer’

SOUND FAMILIAR?

Ger Cunningham, the great Cork All-Ireland-winning hurling goalkeeper and many times top finisher in Poc Fáda on the Cooley Mountains, scored from the penalty spot in a local club championship match, but failed to make it back to his bailiwick in time to prevent the opposing team from scoring a goal.

ANSWERS

Know Your Initials: 1 Andrea Corr, 2 Anthony Cunningham, 3 Amen Corner, 4 Andy Cole, 5 Ashley Cole, 6 Andy Carroll, 7 Antrim Coast, 8 Adrian Childs, 9 Aidan Coleman, 10 Aidan Comerford. Find The Racecourse: Downpatrick. The Name Is The Same: Alan (Allan) Clarke.