The best-laid plans of mice and men continue to gang a-gley. In a commendably imaginative piece of thinking, the organisers of the Kilkenny Arts Festival put on a special 'Hurling at the Movies' night last Wednesday (in Langton's, naturally) comprising 12 minutes of footage from the 1957 All Ireland "nal between Kilkenny and Waterford followed by a screening of Rooney.

A comedy about a hurling-playing Dublin dustman, the film featured footage from the same match.

Famously, John Gregson, the English actor who starred as Rooney, marched in the pre-match parade, the 16th man in the Kilkenny line-up (something, somehow, you can't imagine Mr Cody facilitating these days).

As it happened, Wednesday's event went well. One can't help thinking it would have gone even better had Waterford won last Sunday, however, and the 2007 All Ireland "nal been a repeat of the Rooney "nal of 50 years ago.

CONTROVERSIALLY, IT'S BEEN A QUIET SUMMER

Just what is the story with 2007, or rather, its lack of stories? This year there's been no sliotar controversy, no ambush marketing, and post-Semplegate, no major disciplinary incidents.

The Croke Park surface has been immaculate, as has the hurling, while it's hard to think of a football year to boast four such satisfying provincial finals and, 2005 apart, three such enjoyable All-Ireland quarter-finals.

About all there's been to complain about is Kilkenny's soft passage to the final compared to the Middle Earth Waterford and Limerick had to negotiate, the lay-off some provincial winners and early-round losers have had, RTE's neglect of the big ball in the qualifiers and the odd bit of showboating from the Dubs.

And even then the Dubs didn't resort to that last week . . . another non-story. At this rate, this column will be going out of business. Cork-Meath couldn't have come at a better time.