You might have seen that Manchester United's John O'Shea caught his native Waterford's under21 win over Limerick; in fact he even gave them a talk the previous day. As it turns out, he wasn't the only Premiership player to catch up on the old hurling during the week.

Spotted comparing notes in the Monart Hotel and Spa in Enniscorthy last Thursday night: Kevin Doyle of Reading FC and Wexford, and Jamesie O'Connor of DooraBare"eld and Clare.

Maybe Doyle was telling O'Connor how he was the "rst man onto the pitch after the 1996 All Ireland hurling final.

And maybe, though we doubt it, O'Connor was telling Doyle how he was the last man to score on the pitch in the 1997 All Ireland "nal.

Either way, both claims are true.

NHL NEEDS FACELIFT BUT NOT AUTUMN START

While it's good to see Nickey Brennan hop a few balls now that he's acceded to the throne, Sideline Cuts couldn't agree less with the new president's suggestion to return the National Hurling League to an autumn start. Playing the competition in the same calendar year gives it logic and cohesion; the preChristmas games in the old league were invariably lowly attended non-events; there are no valid grounds why the intercounty season shouldn't finish on All Ireland final day; and the already deafening cries from the clubs will increase in volume if yet further Sundays are given over to intercounty duty.

The NHL does need a facelift alright, Nickey. But this is the last way of going about it.

TAXI DRIVER CAN'T SEE THE WOOD FOR HURLS

True tale. A Dublin taxi driver picked up a fare in O'Connell Street last Monday night.

The passenger put three hurleys in the boot of the car before the journey began.

En route, the taxi driver, an observant sort, said, "Were dem hurls yew put in de boot?" (Try to imagine a piercing Dubbalin accent, the story works better that way. ) Yes, the passenger replied.

"Are dey made a' wood?" Silence from the passenger, momentarily . . .and very unaccustomedly . . . struck dumb.

A Dublin taxi driver who didn't actually know everything. Could this be a "rst?