AMID all the recriminations and name-calling that the FAI have had to endure since last Wednesday night's infamous victory, they can at least console themselves with one thought: thank Christ we had our awards ceremony on the previous Sunday. As mildly embarrassed as Kevin Kilbane was accepting the goal of the year award for his effort against the Czech Republic, imagine the look on Stephen Ireland's face next year when he gets it for that four-yard screamer against San Marino.

It can't be easy for the producers of such a show, but as turd polishing goes, this wasn't a bad effort. And just like the Eskimos allegedly have numerous words for snow, we now have a fine repertoire of variations on the word shite. 'Mixed bag', 'ups and downs', 'tumultuous', and 'rollercoaster' were all used to describe 2006 in a comically euphemistic hour. Stan, in an unexpected gambit, decided to quote Frederick Nietzsche, stating that the year just gone had 'made us stronger'. A week is a cruel thing.

Events since last Sunday have left many of us pining more than ever for the good old days, but the producers of tomorrow'sedition of Scannal! feel it's timely to remind us that even some of those days darkened. The snappy half hour, titled 'More than a Game' looks back at the Combat 18-led Lansdowne Road riots of 1995.

There are fine eyewitness accounts from pitchside reporter Ger Canning and cameraman Ben Eglington, who became trapped in his gantry position within touching distance of the mayhem.

There's also eloquent testimony from goalscorer on the night David Kelly, who watches the footage for the first time with disgust. Canning, in particular, is admirably damning in his indictment of the authorities who allowed the violence to happen.

Once it all kicked off, so to speak, it took some time for the gardai to assemble with the necessary equipment.

There's some darkly comic footage of a few in riot gear being sent into the stand on a scouting mission, before sprinting back to safety shouting 'Get the shields, Get the shields!'. There's even a story about members of the Garda Band being asked to muck in, such was the lack of numbers. They declined. Eventually, of course, the guards did get in and started twirling some batons in the vague vicinity of rioters' heads as a nation cheered them on. This is soundtracked here by a particularly lively Pixies song - a slightly tawdry trick, but check your pulse if you don't enjoy it.

The hapless Sean Connolly, chief executive of the FAI at the time, offers poor explanation of how the situation was allowed to come to pass.

Pleas of ignorance of 'those kind' of supporters and the defence of naivety are trotted out. And then there's one of the all-time classic FAI lines:

'A lot of things were handled very well, but a couple of things weren't.' Yes, and those Titanic passengers enjoyed many days of pleasant sailing.

Perhaps it's an unfortunate time to be recalling these events, seeing as Croke Park is readying itself for the visit of England in a couple of weeks. We can't imagine there'll be too much chair throwing, but there remains those who feel that the visiting fans might unwittingly destroy the soul of the GAA with their mere presence.

One of these was given a forum during Croke Park: The Opening Hour, on Thursday evening.

Central Council delegate Bob Honahan made his case that the opening up of the stadium would benefit only those renting it, and not Gaelic games. In the remainder of an excellent half hour though, his voice was drowned out by some soothing waves of positivity. Keith Wood, Kevin Doyle, Joe Brolly, Séamus Mallon, Kevin Moran and that most convincing and wise of voices, Liam Griffin, looked forward with relish to the coming internationals.

This was a beautifully constructed half-hour, the only shame being that it was buried in an early-evening slot on RTE Two when, at the very least, it deserved a place on the flagship channel. Personally speaking, it inspired a sense of pride and excitement in advance of this afternoon's Six Nations match. I think it's going to be ok.