Launch of Mayo sports hotel

Sports facilities:A PR coup of this magnitude is rare. The Lynch hotel group managed to entice Keith Wood, Paul McGrath, Peter Canavan and DJ Carey to Croke Park yesterday for the launch of the €30 million Breaffy international sports hotel.

Facilities appear to be in place to accommodate any rugby, soccer or GAA squad. Indoor arenas, outdoor pitches and the essential on-site ice baths. Wood pointed out the benefit a player would derive from not having to load his battered carcass on to a team bus after a gruelling scrummaging session.

The 58-times capped former Irish hooker is credited as the designer of the new sports centre outside Castlebar, while McGrath, Canavan and Carey were presented as ambassadors along with former Irish rugby manager Brian O'Brien.

A fire was also lit here to attract other national teams ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Inquiries have already arrived in from the US and Brazil.

The Minister for Sport John O'Donoghue reeled off the usual spiel about spending tax-payers' money while RTÉ's Jimmy McGee performed the master of ceremonies role.

After the formalities, the legends gave interviews. First up was McGrath on Steve Staunton's recent escape from the media inquisition.

"It would be impossible for a lot of people to do what he has done. He's doing it on a wing and a prayer. And he is getting criticised for it. He picks the team but someone else wants it picked a different way. Myself included sometimes.

"Stan's the manager and he has to live and die by the decisions he makes. At the moment he has made a few strange ones but it seems to be coming off for him. I'm just one of those guys who is happy if we get the three points that puts us back in contention."

Next came Wood, ever the orator, on the depression caused by the European demise of Munster then Leinster. "I thought they looked a little tired. The Six Nations was long and arduous. It was tough for everybody but very few teams would have the concentration we would have of our players playing in two squads."