Something different about Joe, and Mayo

The hows and whys of Mayo’s success in a moment – something to do with being able to sort things out as you go along, basically – but first, the headline news from Croke Park yesterday: Joe Brolly failed to detonate.

Yes, really. The dog that didn’t bark in the night time, the pundit who didn’t explode after the final whistle.

Attribute it to Sean Cavanagh, his new best friend, who politely refrained from rugby-tackling anyone. As if in tacit acknowledgement of this turn-up for the books, Derry’s answer to Krakatoa duly refrained from erupting. Thus small children, spinster aunts and animals of a nervous disposition remained unfazed, the sun rose this morning and the world is safe for democracy for a while longer. Good news all round, really, except for those viewers who’d tuned in hoping for another YouTube moment.