Johnny eyes chopper to make match

TIPPERARY’S one and only Johnny Luby yesterday struck off for the Munster v Leinster Heineken cup showdown in Croke park. But he doesn’t know if he’ll make it on time, given the obstacles he faces.

Johnny, a stalwart of the Kilfeakle Club and regular guest contributor to Joe Duffy’s Liveline explained: “I’m taking in Punchestown on the way. Kilfeakle have organised a prize on Ladies’ Day for the lady with the brightest Munster Red and Leinster blue knickers. And being the fine person I am, the club have asked me to be the judge. I have been asked to spin a few yarns in a few of those hospitality tents during the next few days, so that should be great craic.”

If Johnny gets over these hurdles, he has another logistical problem facing him on Saturday.

He said: “I’ve a Hogan Stand ticket in my back pocket, but my son Ger is captaining the Munster junior side who are playing Ulster in Belfast at 2pm on Saturday. Ulster wouldn’t change it to Friday to let us take in Saturday’s big game, so I don’t know yet what I’ll do. I’ve pulled every stroke in the book in my time, so I’m on the lookout at Punchestown for some fella who might have a helicopter to spare for a few hours on Saturday to get us from Belfast to Dublin.”

But Johnny is no stranger to handling big challenges when supporting Munster.

He recalled being low in cash when he travelled to Cardiff three years ago to see Munster first lift the Heineken Cup.

Johnny said: “My daughter, Siobhan was getting married shortly after Cardiff and the money had gone for the big reception. I heard the boys from Kilfeakle had rented a house in Ormond Square in Cardiff and I found it at four in the morning. They told the woman who rented it that there’d be six staying. Sure 23 lads turned up. When I got in through a front window, there were 13 downstairs and 10 upstairs. They were under tables on top of tables. I never thought I’d see five big men in the one bed. They were all out for the count. You wouldn’t see fellas better laid out at Tom Fogarty’s funeral parlour in Tipp town. There were health and safety issues though, the smell of socks and underpants and awful gases.”

Johnny claims to be an all-round sportsman. He said: “I had the honour of putting on the blue and gold as a Tipp minor hurler. We’ve followed Munster from day one and for my penance I’m into greyhounds.”

As he arrived in Punchestown yesterday, Johnny, 54, had another stroke up his sleeve.

He elaborated: “One of the boys in Kilfeakle gave me his old-age pension book and I’m hoping it will get me in as an OAP for less than the full cost of the entry.”

His best sporting moment, he said, came after that Munster win in Cardiff three years ago.

“One of the Clanwillian boys turned and hugged me. Kilfeakle and Clanwilliam don’t see eye to eye and I hadn’t spoken to this fella for 23 years and here we were in Cardiff hugging,” he said.