Frees-y does it, Dessie..

WHILE the vast majority of onlookers were surprised to see Dessie Hutchinson step up to the frees in Waterford’s Munster round robin victory over Cork last Sunday, Stephen Frampton wasn’t.

Former Brighton player Hutchinson missed his rst dead ball, but recovered in style to nail everything after that, nishing with 10 points - nine of them frees.

Pauric Mahony is Ballygunner’s free taker, so there is no opening there with the former Waterford star in situ.

“I wasn’t surprised because I saw him (Hutchinson) up in the club practising frees over and over again in the weeks leading up

(to the Cork game),” said Frampton, who is also from Ballgunner.

“He was a professional soccer player and he’s professional in everything he does with hurling now.

Surprised

“I am not surprised. He could have very easily failed against Cork, having missed the rst free but he has worked very hard on it. His frees were fantastic after that.

“I am not surprised because he is very dedicated and very driven when it comes to anything he does.

“He would have put a huge amount of work into that.”

Stephen Bennett stayed on the long range frees but handed over the closer in ones to Hutchinson: “Maybe it is to take some of the pressure off Stephen,” said Frampton.

“I think that’s really all it was. I don’t know. I am not privy to what goes on in the panel at this stage.

“Stephen is the vice captain there as well and that’s probably another responsibility.

“Maybe removing one of his responsibilities might help Stephen’s game as well.”

to judge beauty contests, all the stuff you’d expect. It was great.”

When Olympic fans spotted the name Siobhan Haughey on the start list for Hong Kong in swimming at the Rio Games, the digging started.

It turned out that she was a niece of the former Taoiseach, Charles. Haughey went on to win two medals at her second Games, in Tokyo.

Australia have six women quali ed for Paris in the women’s marathon, and have to pick three this month.

Sinead Diver has the fastest time and she looks certain to make the cut. Diver is 47 now and Paris would be her second Olympics.

Broadhurst’s decision the latest in long line of Olympic switches

Accent

Her accent, though, is like nothing you’d hear on Neighbours or Home and Away. Diver is from Belmullet in Mayo and, remarkably, didn’t take up running until she was 33.

There are plenty who feel that Sonia O’sullivan is Ireland’s greatest ever track athlete, and many rate her Olympic silver even higher than her World Championship win.

But how many remember now that O’sullivan tried to do a Diver and compete for Australia? In January, 2006, O’sullivan — who lives in Melbourne — applied for dual citizenship.

She did so because she wanted to compete at the Commonwealth Games and was chosen for the Australia team but had to pull out through injury.

Who knows what awaits Broadhurst?

Quali cation is far from assured, but Harrington v Broadhurst would add a bit more spice to Paris 2024.