September road

By DAMIAN CULLEN

 A minor miracle

TIPPERARY have claimed the All-Ireland minor football crown once before – back in 1934, but they didn’t have to kick a ball in the final to take home the cup.

The rivalry between Dublin and Tyrone didn’t just begin a few years ago. After emerging from the Leinster and Ulster minor championships in the summer of 1934, Dublin lodged an objection to Tyrone being in the semi-final, with the Ulster side returning the favour.

By October, it was decided to throw both out of the competition and so Tipperary, who had beaten Mayo in the All-Ireland semi-final, were awarded the title.

With Dublin meeting Galway in the second minor semi-final next Sunday, if the Munster side are to add a second title to their collection, this time they’ll have to do it on the pitch.

A moment of silence: No drunks allowed

WE were in White Hart Lane a few years ago watching an English Premier League match when, close to where we were sitting, a few spectators celebrated Aston Villa opening the scoring against Tottenham Hotspur.

The only problem was, they were sitting in the home section and the stewards hauled out of their seats in amazingly quick time. They left to a volley of abuse.

This is not, in any way, to sneer at supporters of Premier League soccer, however GAA supporters take for granted the fact that opposing fans can mingle freely at big games.

Yesterday September Road Road watched from the terrace in Croke Park. Hill 16 is much closer to the action – in every possible sense – than the press area in the Hogan sky.

It is a pity, though, that it just takes one idiot – who can’t handle his drink – to make the day so uncomfortable for other supporters.

Last week it was a Tipperary man who roared his way through the minute’s silence to the embarrassment of everyone – in particular the other Tipp supporters on the terrace.

It appears the village idiot loves big match days.

And while it’s understandable that supporters dont want to challenge drunken fools who shout abuse, it’s a pity those concerned with making sure the spectators on the terrace are made feel like caged animals at headquarters aren’t as quick to make sure drunks are either stopped at the entrance gates, or ejected quickly when the obnoxious abuse begins.

It’s not like its hard to find the drunken loud-mouth during a minute’s silence, is it?

And there’s always one . . .

For their eyes only: Cats ready to keep it private

ACCORDING TO local legend, on the Wednesday night before last years All-Ireland hurling final, 143,560 spectators crammed into Nowlan Park for a Kilkenny training session, and in particular to watch a certain Henry Shefflins return to action.

It was, quite simply, a circus – and surely had a negative impact on the final act of the Kilkenny play Drive for Five a few days later.

This year? Brian Cody seems to be mixing it up a bit more, though two training sessions the week of the final (Tuesday and Friday) are open to the public.

It seems Kilkenny will be training away from prying eyes on other nights during the next fortnight.

Lessons have been learned.

Long and short of it

DUBLIN are extremely short odds to complete a double next weekend, with bookmakers only offering around 3/4 on the minors defeating Galway and seniors overcoming Donegal in the two All-Ireland semi-finals.

In contrast, two shock results – and surely neither is beyond the bounds of possibility – yields odds of 16/1.