Rio 2016: Rory McIlroy trolls with the punches

Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlan's selfies with some of the planet's largest sporting names are, just like they were in London, among the Olympic highlights thus far, Barnes' latest offerings none other than Serena Williams (with an equally bemused looking Madison Keys beside her) and Rickie Fowler, while Conlan has snared Michael Phelps and Tyson Gay, to name but two.

Both fellas, of course, have been busy teasing Rory McIlroy along the way too, first over the whole Zika business and then there was that Barnes’ selfie with a certain tennis star.

USA Today, for one, was unimpressed, asking if Barnes had "crossed a line when he snapped a selfie with Caroline Wozniacki and called out her ex-fiance Rory McIlroy on Twitter?" (When Barnes tweeted that he was just "having the craic", the writer admitted he had to look up what they meant, possibly having thought the boxer had let slip he was using an illicit substance).

Back on Twitter a chap by the name of Colin accused Barnes of “conduct unbecoming of a flag-bearer”, while the USA Today fella wondered, somewhat disapprovingly, how the golfer must feel “about Barnes “having the craic” with him”.

Well, now we know. McIlroy’s tweet to Barnes and Conlan: “Good luck lads! If your boxing is as good as your tweeting it should be 2 guaranteed golds!!” Followed by an ROFL face.

For possessing such a mighty fine sense of humour, unlike the boxers’ detractors, McIlroy should be given a gold himself.

PS Conlan’s response? “Brilliant! Good to see you got a sense of humour Rory, we’re all friends here” …. followed by the hashtag #TeamZika and two mosquitoes. Divil.