GAA whistle up bird stunt but falcon gets red card

Don’t work with children or animals, they say. With the former, the GAA have long succeeded in defying that idiom, but in Croke Park yesterday they tried their hand with a bird of prey and, well, it didn’t go too well.

“Something a little different” was how the MC introduced Flash the falcon as he directed everyone’s gaze towards the Etihad Sky-Line at the corner of the Cusack and Davin Stands.

Flash was expected to swoop down to his handler to deliver the referee’s whistle to James McGrath for the Kilkenny-Limerick hurling semi-final.