Sideline Cuts wouldn't ordinarily bother the reader by rehashing letters to the World's Most Boring Newspaper . . . sorry, we mean The Irish Times . . . but two missives in last Thursday's edition of that most self-satisfied of publications are worthy of mention. The first, echoing something that Eddie O'Sullivan had said earlier in the week, pointed out that God Save the Queen was played at Croke Park during the Special Olympics four years ago (It wasn't actually, but the urban myth grew this past week). Nobody took offence then (because it wasn't played), so why the fuss now? It couldn't be that this is a nation that's never satisfied unless it's busy feigning outrage on radio phone-ins, could it?

The fact that yesterday's game was hosted by the IRFU and held under the auspices of the Six Nations Committee cut little ice with another letterwriter, who chipped in with the supremely irrelevant assertion that "taxpayers' money went into Croke Park and it is therefore not the sole property of the GAA". (Anything to have a cheap dig at the soft target that is the GAA, of course. ) Taxpayers' money also went into the old Lansdowne Road and will be going into the new one in vast quantities. How long before we see an Irish Times reader declares accordingly that Lansdowne Road "is therefore not the sole property of the IRFU" and should consequently be available to other sporting organisations, including the GAA? At least 20 billion years, one imagines.

. . .AND NOW BACK TO MATTERS STRICTLY GAA

The Offaly Association, Dublin is to honour Offaly's victorious All Ireland-winning teams of 1981 (hurling) and 1982 (football) as well as Brian Whelahan at a function in the Regency Airport Hotel in Dublin next Saturday. The Association celebrates its Golden Anniversary this year and therefore decided to honour the hurlers who celebrated their Silver Jubilee last year and the footballers who do likewise this year.

Tickets for the night are available from any member of the Offaly Association . . . Pat Nolan (087 6101773), Liam Fleury (086 6169192) or Martin Delaney (086 6028345).