In today’s Hospital pass we are left astounded by what’s in the GAA coffers and contemplate making the right choice in a two-horse race.
Just two organisations in the entire universe could withstand the brunt of the economic decline over the last few years. The Catholic Church is one, and the GAA is the other.
At first glance we thought today’s report in the Star about the Leinster Council looking into building a €100 million stadium in Dublin had been pulled out of the archives, circa 2005.
But no, it seems that it’s true, and they are thinking of giving the go-ahead to a 25,000-capacity arena in the capital, catering for games which might previously have been played out in front of an echoey Croker.
A third stadium is “needed” in the north of the province, they say, failing to add that such a need arises because the likes of Pairc Tailteann in Navan and St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge are, eh, irreparable shitholes.
Anyway, there’s as much chance of Mayo being crowned All-Ireland champs this year as there is of this project going ahead.
In fact, letting us know the Association can gather up €100 million in a jiffy was probably a bad idea.
Hard up for a Euro?
Remember the time when Michael Schumacher was winning Formula One races with his eyes closed?
At one stage he was a shoo-in for any weekend accumulator sports bet back in the day. The banker you could say, at 1/16 most Sunday mornings on Grand Prix days.
Although he would usually steer his way around the track from the front, he still had 90-odd laps to navigate at high-speed.
On Sunday, Tipperary are the same odds (wager €16 to win a quid) with a polar opposite task compared to Schuey’s past glories.
You may say 9/1 about Dublin to pull off a shock is a better bet in a three-horse race. Our advice, however, is to grab your rich aunt, shake her, see what falls out and throw it all on Tipp.
The handicap has Tipp at Evens (-9). So they’d have to win by ten for you to double your money, but we think that’s better than a coin toss. So we might just go for it.
