There goes another one, a forward that used to light it up but has now conceded that the game itself more than father time has dulled and worn him down.

mickey Linden’s sporting career was as long as it was illustrious but two All-Ireland titles and three Ulster crowns don’t tell half the story about a man who, along with Peter Canavan, was probably the most electrifying inside forward in the country during the 1990s.

Throw all the statistics you want at Benny Coulter — you won’t change his mind that teams will revert to type including Tyrone on Sunday.

There were so many heart-stirring and heart-warming stories over the past GAA weekend, but one that really brought a smile to my face happened way off Broadway on a club pitch in County Down.

It was a rivalry that defined a generation of Ulster football in more ways than one.

BACK when he was still coaching both Kerry and Dr Crokes, Pat O’Shea recommended a book on Michael Jordan to his Kerry players.

TWO weeks ago, Mickey Harte stood on the Clones pitch ruminating on his team’s first defeat in the Ulster championship since 2008 and pointed out that things had worked out okay the last time they were directed through the back door.

He saw off Kerry’s Tom Spillane and Meath hard man Mick Lyons in the space of a few mad weeks almost 20 years ago. So what ever became of Down powerhouse and All-Ireland winner Peter Withnell? Brendan O’Brien tracked him down

Abused, bullied and harassed in Tyrone, Armagh and Derry, the skilful forward is a protected species in Down. Which might explain a few things, suggests Paddy Heaney

IN DOWN, there is no escaping the past. Not this summer.

A COLLEAGUE who sat in on the 1991 All-Star selection meeting was amused by the Northern lobby’s capacity to find ever more important bodily parts, organs, and constituents to equate with members of the Down team, which had just won the All-Ireland.

CONOR DEEGAN doesn’t remember the exact year. It might have been 1989 or maybe the season after. Whenever, it was a game played in the Marshes and he recalls it as the catalyst for Down’s All-Ireland successes in the 1990s.

NOT so long ago, Benny Coulter made his way down to Dublin to collect a player of the month award.

THOSE who saw his performance that day will never forget it. The game itself is considered a classic. Many who were in Coalisland that afternoon would point to the 1989 MacRory Cup final between St Patrick’s Maghera and St Colman’s Newry as the best they ever witnessed.

DOWN manager James McCartan will not need to travel far if he wants advice about how to beat Kerry.

Daragh Ó Conchúir talks to Seamus McEnaney who is desperate to bring Ulster final success back to Monaghan.

PUNDITS launching scathing attacks on the state of Gaelic football is nothing new but one of the modern game’s top exponents joined the chorus of disapproval yesterday.

WE may witness the end of an era in Ulster football tomorrow and it seems fitting that Down should be the team primed to bring down the curtain.

The Down County Board are on the look out for a new senior and Under-21 football manager after Paddy O'Rourke's failure to be re-appointed last night.

With his club season finished with Mayobridge, Down forward Benny Coulter is set to undergo surgery on a groin injury.

MORE than 20 years later than he wished, Larry Tompkins is experiencing the buzz of international competition.

IRISH manager Pete McGrath has broken new ground with the use of rugby tackle bags in preparation for the first test against Australia in the International Rules Series at the Subiaco Oval on Friday.

Former Down star Mickey Linden helped his club side Mayobridge retain the Down SFC crown yesterday at the ripe old age of 42!

PETER CANAVAN, who revealed yesterday that he had intended to retire at the end of this year’s championship regardless of the outcome, was initially opposed to coming off at half-time in Sunday’s final against Kerry.

GAA President Sean Kelly expects a "huge task" for Ireland when they go in search of back-to-back International Rules Series wins in October.

The GAA is to set to add to the funds it has already raised for the Asian tsunami disaster by staging a match between an All Star selection and Ballinderry Shamrocks on Sunday.

Crossmaglen Rangers' boss Michael McConville has defended Francie Bellew following the full-back's challenge on Mickey Linden, which led to the Mayobridge player-manager leaving the field after 14 minutes of the Ulster club football final.

LIAM HAYES was installed as Carlow football manager late last night and immediately warned that everybody in the county would have to stand up and be examined by the end of the year.

Crossmaglen 0-14 Mayobridge 0-9

Crossmaglen Rangers 0-14 Mayobridge 0-9

Down legend and Mayobridge player/manager Mickey Linden is out of Sunday's Ulster club football final against Armagh's Crossmaglen Rangers.

THE spectator who assaulted referee Martin Brady in Casement Park last Sunday has been suspended for two years by the Ulster Council.

DOWN legend Mickey Linden has proposed a radical rule change to stamp out cynical and persistent fouling on forwards.

Bishopstown (Cork) 0-12 Stradbally (Waterford) 1-12

Ireland take on Australia in the first of this year's Coca Cola International Rules tests at Croke Park today.

NEW Irish manager Pete McGrath wants ex-Cork hurling star Setanta Ó hAilpín to be part of his squad for next month’s International Rules Series against Australia in Croke Park.

INTERNATIONAL Rules manager Pete McGrath will call on Irish AFL exports Setanta Ó hAilpín and Tadhg Kennelly in a bid to end Australian dominance of the hybrid series.

GAA President Sean Kelly has revealed that this year's International Rules test opener is likely to be held at a provincial venue instead of Croke Park.

GAA PRESIDENT Sean Kelly yesterday defended the appointment of Pete McGrath as Ireland's International Rules manager, and insisted Mick O'Dwyer had not been snubbed in the selection process.

Down legend Pete McGrath has been confirmed as Ireland's new International Rules manager.

Ruthless Down football boss Paddy O'Rourke has left out a string of well known faces from his early season panel - though he's not closed the door on them entirely.

LAST season’s Cloyne senior hurling coach, Donal Clifford, has made a surprise move and will guide the fortunes of intermediate club Cobh for 2004.

MICKEY LINDEN will celebrate his 40th birthday next Friday.