So when does a player deliberately drop the hurley, when is it knocked from his grasp and how is a referee supposed to be able to tell the difference?

Two such incidents occurred in the closing stages of last weekend's All Ireland under-21 "nal replay, with Tipperary winning a free for one of them but being penalised for the other when, in truth, both looked much of a muchness.

Former Tipp full-back Conor O'Donovan believes he has a solution.

As, he claims, it is "virtually impossible at times" for a referee to know if a hurley has been dropped deliberately or accidentally knocked out of a player's hand, O'Donovan suggests that a player should be allowed palm the sliotar away with his ball-holding hand once the hurley has fallen, whether accidentally or intentionally.

Palm it with the other hand, however . . . ie the hand from which the hurley fell . . . and a free will be awarded against him.

"This is a serious issue which should be addressed immediately, " O'Donovan says. Anyone out there agree with the man?

GREAT GAA HEADLINES YOU'VE NEVER SEEN (Number 1 in a potentially endless series): "Meeting of Camross and Castletown passes off without incident!"

WHEN SOME SUNDAY'S MISTAKE COMES Sometimes in the exhaustive work that is compiling When Sunday Comes, the odd gremlin pops up. It's rare but it happens, and so it was the case in gathering the list of most senior hurling championship appearances by one player. You know the way it's now widely touted that Davy Fitzgerald, on 60 caps, is only four games off Christy Ring's record?

Well, a game against lowly Kerry in 1943 was omitted.

Christy actually played 65 games for Cork. Which means if Clare are to get to next year's Munster "nal, the great Clareman will nearly have to get to next year's All Ireland too to draw level or beat the great Corkman.

Now, if Clare were to lose yet again in the "rst round, and then play three quali"ersf Can't see Davy letting in a goal to allow that though.

If you know Davy, and know, in the off-chance that he's not a Tribune reader, well, best of luck breaking the news to him.

Compiled by Enda McEvoy and Kieran Shannon