Nearly men of Mayo out to prove a point

THE GAA yesterday launched a strong defence of the realm. Crowds, they barked, are not down year-on-year — the business argot is ours, not theirs.

The worm has turned. Another meddling World Cup — sent solely to try the GAA — has failed to bring the association crashing to its knees, and tomorrow, out west, further evidence of good health will emerge.

“We’re expecting a full house of about 14,000 people in Carrick-on-Shannon,” confirmed Connacht GAA Secretary Johnny Prenty. “There’s a big interest in Mayo and Leitrim.”