Tommy O’Connell was chatting to a couple of friends in the Croke Park Hotel an hour or two before last year’s All-Ireland final when Jimmy Magee passed by. One of the friends buttonholed Magee and, pointing to O’Connell, asked him why this man had a place in hurling history.

GARY WOLSTENHOLME, the only Britain and Ireland amateur to feature on four winning Walker Cup teams, has been named in a provisional 29-strong squad for next August’s defence of the trophy in Chicago.

GARY WOLSTENHOLME and Michael Skelton, the oldest and youngest members of the Britain and Ireland team, have been paired together for the opening game of the Walker Cup against America at Ganton in Yorkshire today.

FT Ipswich 3 Portsmouth 0

Glenn Roeder last night admitted it was “back to the drawing board” for his defence after their 4-2 capitulation against Charlton at The Valley tonight.