News reaches us of one book that will be a de"nite stocking-"ller for hurling folk this Christmas. A major void will soon be filled with the publication of a long-overdue biography of Nicky Rackard.

Cuchulainn's Son is written by Tom Williams, the well-known Taghmon author (Williams also penned With Heart and Hand, the story of Wexford's 1996 All Ireland triumph), in conjunction with the Rackard family and will tell the full story, with all its ups and downs, of the full-forward of the century.

Published by Blackwater Press, the book is to be launched in November.

Can't wait.

Also hitting the shelves shortly . . . although it's a pity it couldn't have appeared earlier in the year . . . is 3 by the Lee, the tale of Cork's 1976-78 McCarthy Cup three-in-a-row, written by Martin Ryan. Among the features of the book are interviews with the 10 players who started all three All Ireland "nals. Copies can be ordered from 3bythelee@gmail. com.

GREAT GAA HEADLINES YOU'VE NEVER SEEN: 'McKenna blames pitch, not boots'

WHEN LINESMEN ATTACK, BEST STAND BACK

Retribution at last. Although we're fairly sure it isn't the "rst time of"cials have got their own back, this is the "rst such incident to reach us at Sideline Cuts. A number of weeks back at a club game in the midlands, a row broke out in one of the goalmouths . . . nothing new there.

However, the players weren't counting on one of the linesmen having a really bad day. For whatever reason, he took off with his "ag in hand towards the row, proceeded to attack several players with his stick and, no doubt, made himself feel a whole lot better while he was at it.

JUNIOR HURLING FOLLOWS SOD'S LAW

In another part of this sports section, rugby is referred to as the most dangerous sport around. Now we don't like to contradict ourselves, but clearly a certain rugby correspondent never lined out on a junior hurling field in south Kildare.

Take a certain manager from the past in Castledermot. The gentleman was renowned for trawling the sideline, beating the ground with his hurl, and letting everyone know, "It's in the sod lads, it's all in the sod".

That was off the pitch. You can't imagine what it was like on it.

Compiled by Enda McEvoy and Ewan MacKenna