Tarmac is most fertile of ground

When former Ireland and Arsenal full-back John Devine recently addressed a press conference in Dublin he was joined at the top table by Eamon Dunphy and John Giles, the presence of the big beasts ensuring a healthy media turn-out and plenty of coverage in print and on the airwaves the following day.

In fact, what Devine had to say would have merited attention anyway but, let’s face it, a press release headlined ‘SDFL’s Non-Competitive Vision Of Grassroots Football’ suddenly seems a whole lot sexier when it’s preceded by the words ‘Dunphy And Giles Back…’

And not just them — Niall Quinn, Paul McGrath and Liam Brady have also endorsed the player development programme which Devine has been rolling out since his appointment last year as coaching director with the South Dublin Football League.