Benny and Liam match skills in field of education

THE exams might be over but Benny Tierney and Liam Hassett are still hoping for results.

School will definitely out for the Armagh goalkeeper and Kerry half-forward tomorrow week when they take the ultimate test - playing in the All-Ireland football final. The two footballers met at the chalk face of a Dublin park yesterday to promote their other joint passion to Gaelic football ... teaching. Liam is a metalwork and maths teacher at St Michael's, Listowel, Co Kerry, while Benny is a primary school teacher at Mullaghbaun, near Crossmaglen, Co Armagh.

The pair put their friendly rivalry behind them to help launch the 2002 National Children's Day Ribena Best Teacher in Ireland award. "Teaching is a great job and it certainly helps with training when you have three months holiday in the summer," laughed Liam.

Benny smiled in agreement: "It's hard to keep classes straying from the subject of football these days."

Pupils from national schools around the country can put away their apples and instead give their favourite teacher a nomination for the prestigious award. The winning teacher will receive a 3,000 holiday plus €500 spending money, while their class will have the carrot of a day off school to go on a tour of Dublin.

Last year's winner, Sheila Boyd from Holy Trinity School, Donaghmede, was chosen because of her work in raising 66,000 towards the cost of building new schools and a medical clinic in Kenya. All proceeds raised from this year's event will go toward three national children's hospitals.

As for Liam and Benny, their nominations for the competition might just depend on the result of the big match. Either way both players, will be hoping they won't have to repeat next week's test unlike two years ago when they had to go to a replay in the All-Ireland semi-final.