Trading Places: A Team of Managers (Part Deux)

Last week we presented a selection of former hurlers that are currently inter-county managers, and we noticed how Mike McNamara was the only non-player managing at the top level.

This week we present a football selection and while we had more than enough players to pick from, it was striking how many more big-ball managers either didn't play inter-county football – Seamus McEnaney, Tomás Ó Flatharta, John Kiely – or others like Jason Ryan and Mickey Harte and John O'Mahony who had marginal, low-key careers.

In some sectors of the field there's an abundance of riches; Kieran McGeeney, Con Counihan and Glenn Ryan were all available at centre-back. But elsewhere we were struggling. Counihan and Malachy O'Rourke, two half-backs, were needed in our full-back line, both knowing though that if they didn't do the business they could be whipped off and be replaced by John O'Mahony, who won an All Ireland under-21 medal as a corner-back.

As for the goalkeeper spot, Christy Byrne, the former Kildare netminder, gets the number one jersey for being a current selector with Offaly. Just in case something ever happened to him though, we've put Seamus 'Banty' McEnaney on the bench, since he strikes us as the kind of guy who'd do anything or play anywhere for the cause.

Slow Days: Lowest Tallies In Championship Hurling

Those of you who have been reading WSC through the years know that Waterford's exploits have often had us consulting our record books to put their exploits in proper perspective, be it Dan The Man's goalscoring streak or Tony Browne's longevity. Their game last Sunday, however, had us dusting off our old scrapbooks for less flattering reasons.

Was last Sunday the lowest-scoring championship game of modern times? As our tables to the right show, last Sunday's game joins the 1985 draw of Clare and Tipperary as the lowest-scoring Munster championship game since the 70-minute game came into being in 1975. Limerick were also involved in the lowest-scoring game in the All Ireland series of the last 35 years, when they played Galway in the drawn All Ireland semi-final of 1981. The lowest-scoring championship game of recent times though was the Wexford-Offaly game in 2006.

Where's the point: Limerick coach Justin McCarthy laments another missed chance

Where The Money Went

Who'd be a bookie? After the events of last weekend on the GAA front, who wouldn't be? Sportsspread.com were left smiling after their multi-points market – a team's first-half points tally multiplied by their second-half points tally – resulted in wholesale carnage for those punters who fancied Limerick and Waterford to produce a highscoring affair at Semple Stadium. With Limerick managing only three points in the first half and Waterford mustering two following the interval, both the multi-points and total points markets finished well short of expectations. To make matters worse for bettors, buyers of Donegal's supremacy at five and six points against Antrim were also seriously burned, Antrim running out winners by a point.

At least one Betfair client was happy when Westmeath and Wicklow ended all square – the same client who'd taken 16-1 the draw in the opening minutes. Far from overjoyed were those punters who'd backed Donegal at 1-19 in running, the biggest reversal of the championship to date with Betfair. And then there was the gent (or lady) who backed Waterford at 2-5 with two minutes left following the Eoin Kelly free that gave them a one-point lead…

Ending as they did in draws, last Sunday's two live games were consequently "fantastic" results for Paddy Power, according to the company's Eoin George. Wicklow had attracted quite a bit of support at 11-4 to beat Westmeath; the biggest bet Power took on the draw was €20 at 15-2. They also saw a flood of money for Kerry against Cork on the Saturday evening, forcing them to tighten the side coached by Jack O'Connor (left) to 5-6 just before throw-in. Plenty of support for both Limerick and Waterford the following day left Power smiling at the final whistle. And the icing on the cake arrived when Antrim's defeat of Donegal knocked out virtually every weekend GAA accumulator still standing by then.

I Predict A Riot

Gaelic games ace tipster Ewan MacKenna (Really? – Ed) goes head-to-head against two 'Sunday Tribune' writers who haven't a clue about our national games in a summer-long competition. One point for a correct outcome, two points for the correct result.

The GAA man - Ewan MacKenna

Tyrone v Derry: Tyrone by three
Dublin v Wexford: Wexford by one
Tipperary v Clare: Tipperary by five
Last week's score 2
Total score 9

Given the opposition, to lose this competition would result in such a loss of credibility, the end of a career would surely follow and the only way out might be the priesthood. Which sounds similar to Mike Mac's scenario if his 'Guantanamo Bay' style of training fails to work and Tipp run riot. Derry will cling to coattails, shorts, jerseys and body parts, but the injury list is too long to win. As for Leinster? Heads says Wexford, tails Dublin. Heads it is.

The Soccer Guy - Miguel Delaney

Tyrone v Derry: Tyrone by four
Dublin v Wexford: Dublin by one
Tipperary v Clare: Tipperary by four
Last week's score 2
Total score 9

Admittedly, all GAA news passed us by this week. Yet again. There was the Confederations Cup on. Spain, they were good weren't they? Woof. So, in lieu of actual knowledge, we're going on gut instinct. Also, yet again. Tyrone and Tipperary, we know they both have pedigree. So check. And have a family connection to Dublin so wouldn't be allowed go against them.

Goal.

The Rock Dude - Neil Dunphy

Tyrone v Derry: Tyrone by five
Dublin v Wexford: Wexford by two
Tipperary v Clare: Tipperary by 10
Last week's score 2
Total score 8

I was informed by the sports editor that last week I was the only 'pundit' in the country to predict Antrim's win. Want to know my secret? Why of course you do, but I'm not telling till I get invited onto Setanta Sports to talk shite. This week Tyrone will pummel Derry. I've been to Dungannon so I know what I'm talking about. Speaking of puke, hurling and Dublin is just wrong; that's why Wexford will win – even without Paul Codd to spring off the bench. Tipp v Clare? Yawn.

Pop Quiz - Eamon Dunphy, Dublin

The man who's been across the political spectrum and back in his time before settling down to a life of Wednesday night controversy. Some say facts were never his strongpoint but how will the kid from Drumcondra who was capped 23 times for Ireland fare on his home county's Gaelic games? And more importantly, can he help the county retain their quiz title after last year's crown was dramtically (and fairly) captured by Bertie Ahern?

1 Who are the current Dublin hurling and football managers?

Eamon Dunphy Anthony Daly is the hurling and the football manager is... Pat Gilroy

2 Who was the last man to manage Dublin to an All Ireland senior title?

ED Did Pat O'Neill ever manage them?

Sunday Tribune He did indeed and won their last title in 1995.

ED That a boy Eamon, fair play to you.

3 Who was Dublin's last All Star?

ED Oh dear me, I really don't know. ST It was Shane Ryan in midfield last year.

4 Who was the first, winning his award in 1974?

ED Paddy Cullen in goal.

5 Which Dublin player has the most All Stars with five?

ED When did the All Stars start? Was it Brian Mullins? ST No, it was another goalkeeper. John O'Leary with five.

6 Dublin have won two hurling All Stars, can you name either?

ED No ST Straight to the point there. They were Mick Bermingham in 1971 and Brian McMahon in 1990.

7 The hurlers have won six All Ireland senior titles, but when was the last?

ED Can't tell you that one either. Not a notion. ST Way back in 1938.

8 How many Dublin players were named on the Team of the Millennium?

ED Two. ST This is not going well at all. Just the one.

9 Name him?

ED Tony Hanahoe? ST Kevin Heffernan. And the quiz title is now gone from Dublin! You're not going to catch Charlie McGettigan. ED Yeah, but he'd like this stuff.

10 Eight Dublin clubs have won Leinster senior titles, can you name seven?

ED Probably not. Kilmacud and Vincent's. I don't really know the club scene. ST Clearly! The others were UCD, Parnells, Thomas Davis, Erin's Isle, Na Fianna, St Brigid's.

ED Disaster. My credibility is in shreds. I won't recover from this.

Total 3/10

League table

Charlie McGettigan (Leitrim) 7

Ciaran Fitzgerald (Wicklow) 4

Eamon Dunphy
(Dublin) 3

Richard Wallace (Limerick) 1