FAI chief apologises

FAI chief Fran Rooney was forced to apologise yesterday for a harmless joke at a private function about Northern Ireland football.

Mr Rooney made his seemingly innocuous comments at a meal prior to Wednesday night's World Cup clash with the Faroe Islands but, after a Sunday newspaper failed to see the funny side, he stressed last night: "The IFA president, Jim Boyce, understands and accepts my apology and I hope everybody else does the same, because it is sincere and I did not want to offend anyone. Most people laughed and thought the joke was funny. It was never intended to be offensive. Jim Boyce rang me and said he enjoyed our good friendship."