It was pleasure rather than work for me at Croke Park yesterday. But it turned out to be painful viewing as Kerry ran away with their All-Ireland quarter-final against Dublin.
They were awesome and I see today they are marginal bookies favourities to lift Sam.
Boylesports All Ireland Football Championship Outrights (odds from 27/07/09 in brackets)
11/8 Kerry (9/2)
7/5 Tyrone (13/8)
4/1 Cork (4/1)
12/1 Mayo (8/1)
35/1 Meath (33/1)
Paul Galvin had the best 20 minutes this season on poor Bryan Cullen. He spoke in the Sunday Independent about being more mean and aggressive like he was in his youth. But that all evaporated on the dodgie soil in Jones Road at 2.15pm yesterday. He was - as the man would say - roasted!
The Gooch got the plaudits but between Galvin and Dara O'Se the game was won by the Kingdom.
It is a weird place Croke Park when 60,000 - odd Dublin supporters are silent as their team get a good hiding. They don't some Dublin supporters 'Sunshine Dubs' for nothing and they roundedly booed their heroes off the pitch at half-time and full-time. One bad game and suddenly Keaney and the Brogan's are bad players in some Cusack Stand pundits.
Two quotes of the day from 'true' Dubs:
"We would be better to support the hurlers....."
"At least there will be no phone calls and scrambling for tickets anymore this summer."
