Awards miss point when book is only judged by its cover

You’d hardly have noticed but there’s no William Hill Irish Sports Book of the Year award this winter.

When the sponsor went, the scheme went, and sadly some worthy books seem to have vanished along with it.

The other day I did a tour of the bookshops of the nearest town. They’re all fine stores, boasting an impressive array of sports books, but one gem that I couldn’t find had only the previous night been considered one of the two best Irish sports books of the year by Newstalk’s discerning Off the Ball panel.