Inside Track: Curiosity Corner

It’s GB this week

1: They’re driven, chipped and putted

2: He played in goals for Man United....

3:......and I played in goals for Leicester and some other teams

4: Many Louth GAA pitches are surrounded by these

5: You’ll see it on the green baize

6: Neatly dressed, they practice their sport riding horses in a Connacht county

7: Served this county well while he was here

8: A team is striking the right note if it’s playing like this outfit from A European country

9: David Beckham

10: The name is the same: Del Boy’s much-used expression in Only Fools And Horses, and a man who played a big part in the introduction of Motor Racing.

THE WORDS WE USE

“Taken Down”

You can be taken down in three places, in a courthouse, in a hospital and on the playing pitch. If it’s the latter, it can be painful, but still preferable than the other two.

You’re up before Judge, facing a serious charge. Your solicitor makes a strong case, but not strong enough to have you acquitted. The sedntence is, you’ve to spend time in the clink. There’s no going home: yopu’re taken down.

If you’re going for an operation, the almost certainty is you’re taken down. The probably explanation is that so many devices have to be used, it’s better to have a very solid foundation.

It was nearly always in the square that Gaelic or hurling players were taken down. A goal was on, but to prevent it, the would-be scorer would be taken down.

There are fewer skirmishes around goals in today’s game, but a player can still be taken down, and it’s not only in the sports mentioned. In soccer, if a player is through on goals, and is taken down, the offender will see red.

FIND THIS IRISH SOCCER GROUNDS

Stile Duo (8)

IT’S A NEW WORD

Up until two years ago, the most frequent shouts from the terraces at a Gaelic football match centred on foul play, infringements or poor refereeing. “Free, ref,” “Run ball”, “Push in the back” and “Why don’t you wear their jersey.” That’s just some of them.

Those are still to be heard, but have now been joined by another, this one getting more volume than anything before it.

It was heard at its loudest in the recent county senior final replay. “Breach”, St Mochta’s supporters roared from the stand after a Newtown Blues had stepped over the midfield line.

He was one of the three designated to stay in his own half, as stipulated by the new rules, introduced by Jim Gavin and his committee at the beginning of last year. Blues were duly penalised, with Mochta’s getting a close-in free. Declan Byrne converted.

The probability is that one of the sideline men would have detected the infringement anyway; but just to make sure, the crowd was giving him all the assistance he needed.

HE SAID

“Everything about him was there at Ascot. He won by a long way, as I thought he would. He is not that big, but when you sit on him he’s got it all; the gears, the stride, the pace.” Tom Queally, the Flat jockey, singing the praises of the best horse he has ever ridden.

Many would say Frankel was the best horse of all time, unbeaten in his career of 14 races, ten of them in Grade One category. Since being retired to stud, he has passed on many of his attributes to his progeny.

ANSWERS

Know Your Initials: 1 Golf Ball, 2 Gary Bailey, 3 Gordon Banks, 4 Grassy Banks, 5 Green Ball, 6 Galway Blazers, 7 Ger Brennan, 8 German Band, 9 Golden Balls, 10 Gordon Bennett. First The Soccer Grounds: Solitude, home of Cliftonville FC.