It may have taken more than 30 years after his last championship for the wisdom of John Wooden to cross over from his own sport and permeate the language and thinking in Irish coaching circles, but since it did, he has been pretty much a constant and towering presence there.

IT has to be one of the most magical coach-player relationships in all of Irish sport, this bond the 70-something Eamonn Ryan and his Rebels have, and six All-Irelands in seven years is far too crude a measure of it.

JOHN WOODEN knew a thing or two about winning.