Jack O'Connor's Kerry come to Castlebar this Sunday for a national league meeting and one notable absentee on the Kerry line-up will be Sam Maguire, who usually travels with the boys from the Kingdom.
Word is Sam is living in exile and in a mobile home in Cork while his application for the Kerry housing list is dealt with. Sources in the Kingdom tell me Sam is very confident of finding a three-bedroom semi, which he can move into around September when his lease in Cork will be up.

Mayo have a habit off turning Kerry over in the league and this will be a fascinating game.
Will Kieran Donaghy plunder all before him in the Mayo defence? Ger Cafferkey has fared well on the Kerry towering inferno in the past and might be the man to do so again.
However, for James Horan, this is without doubt his biggest test as a manager and following on from the draw with Down it would be some boost if they could scalp the Kingdom before what should be a huge crowd at McHale Park of mostly Mayo supporters, as Kerry only travel in September.
And if you want a bit of value why not support the hurlers who play Fingal of Dublin at 1 p.m. Should be fun.

Life's a beach for Star man Martin

It seems one Down player was not impressed with the surface in McHale Park and in his column in the Irish Star on Tuesday last, Martin Clarke, writing under the 'exclusive' label in his weekly column, had this to say about our county grounds.
The man who returned from Australia declared: "It was the worst ground I've played at. Nothing but sand. The ball simply didn't bounce. Once it hit the ground it stayed there. It was like playing on a beach. St. Kilda's beach."

It gets worse for poor Martin, who is not used to playing in front of such a small audience.
"The PA system then announced a 'large' attendance, touching 6,000, had just watched the game. Ten times that watched my first game of the 2009 season in Melbourne," is Martin's proud boast. But this is winter in Ireland, where our footballers are still amateurs and do it for the love of the jersey, and not the Aussieland, where they play professional football.
It seems Martin was yearning to be back in the warm climes of Australia but at no stage in his article did he give Mayo any credit for coming back from being five points down.

Mayo had to use the same ball, on the same pitch. Good for the goose, etc. Sour grapes, Martin. Get a life and stop moaning. You, and a few of the other Down forwards, were taken to the cleaners for the second half and maybe that chance to win the game for Down, which you personally blew, may have been at the back of your mind when you penned this load of rubbish.

Quote unquote

"It's the only game I know where people applaud if you kick the ball over the line." Well known hurling man's strange interpretation of Ireland's clash with France in the rugby on Sunday.

Ballintubber celebrate

Unfortunately, a pressing engagement in Dublin kept me away from the Ballintuber GAA celebration dinner in the Castlecourt Hotel, Westport, on Saturday night.
Word is The Jockey was in full flow and a list of his winners for Cheltenham was handed out as people came in the door.

And mention of Cheltenham, don't forget our big Cheltenham chat night on Monday week, February 28, sponsored by Paddy Power.
Philip Rothwell, Tony Mullins and Eamon 'Dusty' Sheehy and jockey Robbie McNamara are among the special guests who will be on hand to run over your Cheltenham card.

 

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