Square ball

RTE (and TV3 now as well) is blessed with the quality of the former GAA players who are now engaged as analysts. You wouldn't find yourself agreeing with them all the time — Colm O'Rourke's reference to small men refereeing games was a disgraceful remark from a teacher or anyone else — but they are usually not too far off the mark.

Kevin McStay, the former Mayo player, is usually insightful but his suggestion that getting rid of the 'square ball' rule wouldn't make the slightest difference doesn't really stand up.

For a start, every 45 or long-range free would have a couple of forwards standing on the goal-line acting as decoys, although a reduction in the limitless protection given to goalkeepers wouldn't go astray.

Crowd safety

The Tipp-Cork match was pretty enthralling but it was hard to ignore the crowd spilling over on to the field. Fair play to the Gardai and stewards for their quick action and thankfully nobody was hurt.

But there is an issue that the GAA can't ignore. One of the reasons so many arrive at the ground so close to the start is that for an increasing number of fans, going to a GAA involves heading to the pub beforehand and then making a made dash to the ground for the throw-in.

Add in the chronic traffic problems we have at every location and the recipe is there for disaster.

They said it

'My role, when I wasn't working the lathe, was that of general dogsbody and butt of jokes. Once I was told to go fetch a bucket of steam. Another time it was a left-handed screwdriver. Being young and naive I actually went looking for them'. Norman Hunter, former Leeds and England, recalling his first job in an engineering works.

It happened on this day

11th June 1939: The former motor-racing champion Jackie Stewart was born on this day. The Scot was world champion in 1969, 1971 and 1973. His 27 wins from 99 starts stood as a record until beaten by Alain Prost in 1987.

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