THE most nationally famous referee in Kilkenny hurling is Brian Cody, the man in the middle for the increasingly legendary Nowlan Park training sessions. But, isn’t there a lesson here?

IT didn’t take long last year, just a few minutes after the final whistle and with the masses already breaking onto the sacred sod, before the announcement blared over the Croke Park tannoy system – ‘Gardaí and stewards, to Plan B please, Plan B!’.

DAVID COLDRICK is the surprise appointment to referee the All-Ireland senior football decider between Cork and Down in Croke Park on September 19.

TOMMY STEWART fired Shamrock Rovers into dreamland last night as his second half strike set up a clash with Italian giants Juventus.

MANAGER Liam Buckley’s pre-match wish of keeping it tight and hoping to score first never materialised as Sporting Fingal bowed out of Europe at Dalymount Park last night.

THE jeers at the final whistle told its own story.

COLIN MONTGOMERIE has issued a stern warning to high-profile players, telling them that they cannot count on a “wild card” pick for this year’s European Ryder Cup team.

US OPEN champion Graeme McDowell is gearing up for a shot at winning his second major in two months, bidding to become European number one and making another Ryder Cup appearance – but he needs a break first.

A historic day in Croke Park yesterday, Galway crowned Leinster senior hurling champions for the first time after a first-half display of crushing dominance; a day that may also go down in history for another reason, however, the day an empire began to crumble.

Flattering was Jimmy Barry-Murphy’s description, and flattering was just about right.

It seems an odd one at first.

Tech savvy never looked so stylish.

This job can be perpetually terrifying. I’ve had opening nights where I haven’t wanted to step out.

What I do: Teacher, musician, and creator & producer of Pulses of Tradition.

Celtic midfielder Kris Commons is looking to blitz Benfica with a storming start in their Champions League Group G opener at Parkhead tonight.

If Ireland beat the Faroe Islands tomorrow night — and nobody is now considering that a foregone conclusion — then Giovanni Trapattoni will continue in his role as manager for the time being but, barring an unlikely turnaround in team fortunes, it is impossible to imagine the 73-year-old seeing out the World Cup campaign.

When the final whistle blew and the fans packed into The Showgrounds rushed on to the pitch to celebrate Sligo Rovers’ first league title since 1977, it felt like the centre of the universe was a small town on the north-west coast.

John O’Shea reckons it could have been even worse in the Aviva last Friday night — and he’s not just talking about the scoreline against Germany.

Crossmaglen Rangers 3-09 Pearse Og 0-11

Dingle 4-05 St Kieran’s 0-14