The last time I spoke to Padraic Joyce was before Christmas when there was a ten year reunion of the 2001All-Ireland winning team in Galway city.

Despite the shocking scenes from last Sunday’s All-Ireland Club JFC semi-final between Kerry club Dromid Pearses and Tyrone’s Derrytresk, many people within the wider GAA community accept a ‘melee’ as part and parcel of our games, claims Ray Silke .

ANDY COEN was just two the last time Gort won the Galway senior hurling title, in 1983.

1. Allowing Dublin to get possession from every one of their kick-outs

WHEN Tyrone won the All-Ireland in 2008 they got seven All Stars and defeated finalists Kerry received four.

BERNARD BROGAN is most people’s certainty for the 2010 Footballer of the Year award.

1. Terrific composure and vision in possession

POLITICS, money and sport are a poor mishmash. One invariably spills into the other and things can go sour quickly.

THIS was one of the most exciting Connacht finals that I was ever at.

SITTING cold and numb, physically and emotionally, in the stand at Pearse Stadium last Saturday after yet another one point defeat to supposedly inferior opposition, it did not take long for my mobile to start bleeping.