Damage limitation in Parke case

Friday, 18 March 2011 14:25

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It seems I may have ruffled a few feathers down Parke way by a piece from last week's meeting of the Mayo County Board, which, I hasten to add, had no malice or intent in it whatsoever but it is the old story; when something appears in print it is another story and can be open to various interpretations. Parke interpreted this one as a slight on their good character, and God knows the last people I want to be on the wrong side is the decent people of Parke.

The board were giving out about damage caused to the silverware presented for various competitions and it seems the junior cup, won by Parke last year, fell foul of some serious abuse, costing €1,500 to repair at the board's expense.
The piece may have given the impression that Parke were responsible for such wanton destruction but I am delighted to point out this damage was for accumulative wear and tear over a period.
The Parke lads only use the cup for imbibing purposes and for adorning the already over-laden sideboard of manager, Frank McHale.

I hope this goes some way to clearing up any ambiguity and any suggestion that the Parke club had, in fact, caused €1,500 of damage, which was the cost of repairing the cup.

As Dom Demspey will tell you down Parke way, they wouldn't harm a fly, those Parke lads.

Gielty turns back the clock

He was a legend in the GAA world when he first migrated from Achill as a young buckeen to join the Garda Síochána and in his memoirs How I Nearly Played for Man United, shortly to be published, he recalls the day he was attacked by a flag-bearing linesmen when he played (junior) for Achill against Burrishoole. (Name of flag bearer with sports editor).
Now, at that time, you only went into Burrishoole if Dan Hoban stamped your passport and the McMenamon brothers felt you were acceptable company to join them for a pint.

He, of course, went to proudly wear the green and red of Mayo, not for long I hasten to add, as he never really recovered from that injury he sustained while, as a member of An Garda Síochána, he took a heavy fall while chasing a suspected poteen maker across the bogs of Belmullet.
They say it was a hare trap he ran across, or some say it was a bear trap, but he doesn't talk about it much and he never found that poteen still.

Having hung up the boots longer than he cares to remember, Mick Gielty turned his talent to racquetball and just this very weekend gone he was the proud winner of an All-Ireland medal with the Castlebar racquetball team that included Ray Herring (captain), Mick Gavin and Michael Burke, who took the All-Ireland Novices crown – although how you could describe these guys as novices is beyond me. Dinosaurs, more likely.
However, it seems this most recent elevation to All-Ireland status may have some confusion as he was babbling on about a Manchester Untied double still being on the cards when we all know Fergie – sorry, Sir Alex – is going to draw a blank this season.

Racquetball can do that to you, or maybe it was the belt in the head from that man in Burrishoole which has finally kicked in. By the way, well done lads.

Pick of the Paddock

The Paddock has come out of retirement for a Cheltenham special and after a lot of serious research he has compiled the following bets as a guideline for the Cheltenham Festival, which gets underway today (Tuesday).
He tells me he is in flying form and confidently predicts a profitable race meeting.
However, he includes the cautionary health warning – bet only what you can afford to lose and, at all costs, ignore the advice that may be forthcoming from what my good friend Paddy Kjilgallon would describe as racing 'hucksters', a word I'm told he learned while fly-fishing in Ballina.

Tuesday: Centenary - Definity (EW at 10/1); Cross Country - Maljimar (EW at 10/1); Supreme Novices - Cue Card (win at 9/4).
Wednesday: Fred Winter Titan de Sarti (EW at 10/1); RSA - Time for Rupert (win at 9/4).
Thursday: Ryanair - Poquelin (win at 9/4 and the Paddock's nap of the meeting); Byrne Chase - IIgle d'or (EW at 16/1).
Friday: Albert Bartlett - Sybarite (EW at 16/1).
Top jock: have a euro on D. Jacobs at 50/1 to be top jockey.
Other news: Tranquil Sea will not run in the Ryanair. Edward O'Grady hopes to have him back for Aintree.
Jockey tips: Patrick Mullins - Hurricane Fly; Tony McCoy - Backspin; Graham Lee - Wishful Thinking; Graham Lee - Kalahara King; Barry Geraghty - Bib Zeb.
Trainers: Alan King - Big Zeb; Nigel Twiston Davies - Imperial Commander; Nicky Henderson - Grandouet; Paul Nicholls - Big Bucks.

Top tip: Our Joe Mac is worth an EW punt in the Irish Lincoln on Sunday, I am reliably informed.