A week without a smart phone not as bad as you would think
SOME IT problems meant I had to sit out last weeks edition.
My smartphone was also ‘sidelined’ for the week and it’s frightening how reliant we have become on these devices for our daily routine.
However, that initial panic and isolation of losing access to contacts, emails and messages was gradually replaced by calm and peacefulness as the week wore on. My ‘phoneless week’ was actually more productive than normal, on all fronts.
Back to sport. Dundalk all but sealed the league title on Friday night when beating arch rivals and closest challengers Cork City 1-0 at Turners Cross.
That win moved them nine points clear of the holders and another win against Derry City on Tuesday will get Stephen Kenny’s side across the line.
Chris Shields third-minute strike was sufficient for the Lilywhites to claim victory but in truth the title was probably already in the bag.
The large body of traveling fans celebrated with the players long after the final whistle with Pat Hoban’s symbolic tying of a Dundalk scarf around the empty goalpost to signal a changing of the guard probably drawing the biggest cheer of all.
Cork’s miserable evening was compounded even further when manager John Caulfield was dismissed to the stands following a half-time tunnel altercation.
Meanwhile, Drogheda United confirmed their place in the First Division play-offs with victory in Cobh on Saturday evening.
Surprise
WITH all due respects to St Mochta’s and St Fechins, very few people would have predicted either team reaching the Intermediate championship decider at the outset of 2018.
However, following excellent victories over Mattock Rangers and Naomh Fionbarra at the weekend both villages of Louth and Termonfechin can now look forward to fighting it out for the Seamus Flood trophy in a few weeks time.
The senior semi-finals take place this week with St Patrick’s taking on Naomh Mairtin in Ardee on Saturday evening and holders Newtown Blues facing Dreadnots the following afternoon in Drogheda.
Based on current form you would expect Naomh Mairtin and Newtown Blues to prevail but neither match is a foregone conclusion.
Pats came through a very tough quarter-final against Sean O’Mahony’s and this game will stand to them on Saturday evening. Monasterboice on the other hand had a facile 5-16 to 1-9 victory over O’Connells and will have learned very little about themselves.
Having their talisman Paddy Keenan back on board boosts the Lordship men’s chances but I think the younger legs of Naomh Mairtin might just win out.
The Blues have gobbled up all comers in 2018 thus far and they will expect to overcome their Clogherhead rivals this weekend.
Both their league and championship form has been impeccable all season and it’s difficult to pick out many weaknesses in their game.
However, when in form, Dreadnots are capable of putting it up to the champions, probably more so than any other club in the county.
They are solid at the back and in James Califf, Pepe Smith and Peter Kirwan, have the firepower necessary to cause an upset. It’s a huge ask and lots needs to go their way on the day, but they are the only team, in my opinion, capable of dethroning the champions.
Astonishing
THE astonishing comeback of Tiger Woods is now complete.
The 42 year-old’s two-shot victory in the season ending Tour Championship in Atlanta was his 80th PGA Tour title win but his first since August 2013. Less than 12 months ago he was ranked 1,199th in the world.
Many commentators predicted he might never return to competitive golf following multiple back operations and personal problems.
In October last year his professional career seemed doomed when he was sentenced to 12 months probation after pleading guilty to reckless driving.
A few months earlier he was arrested after police officers found him slumped at the wheel of his car not far from his Florida home.
Thousands of fans spilled out onto the 18th fairway chanting ‘Tiger, Tiger’ to follow him to the green and who’s to say Woods won’t have a big say in the destination of the Ryder Cup which gets underway later this week in Paris.
Golf is a different sport with Tiger challenging at the front of the field.