Tag: John Part

  • Opening jousts in arrows action revealed

    Opening jousts in arrows action revealed

    This writer is by no means a fan of Christmas. Even less so of the build up thereto. However, the only thing which makes the Festive Season even slightly more palatable is the abundance of sporting action that punctuates the end of December and early January. With a plethora of Soccer, Rugby, American Football and…

  • Seeing is believing until you can’t believe it!

    Seeing is believing until you can’t believe it!

    Being a writer who primarily works in sport, sometimes you are in the fortunate position of being able to witness happenings at close quarters which can be difficult to put into words. For yours truly, Kevin Foley’s goal for Meath against Dublin, Padraig Beggy coming from the clouds to win the Epsom Derby aboard Wings…

  • Smith struck down by long lasting ‘Snakebite’

    Smith struck down by long lasting ‘Snakebite’

    When you want something really badly and have been striving to attain it for an elongated period of time, getting over the line for the first time – or if there’s been a sustantial interval between drinks – can be fiercely difficult. The St Peter’s, Dunboyne hurlers, who haven’t won the Meath SHC since 1914,…

  • Old hands send opponents on steep learning curve

    Old hands send opponents on steep learning curve

    When Navan O’Mahony’s won the Meath Senior Football Champïonship of 1997 it was considered quite a turn up. Simply as The Hoops were thought to be in a transitional period, having enjoyed a spell of utter dominance between 1987 and 1990. In fact, it wasn’t as much a thought as a reality. With the exception…

  • Last dance up for grabs – you can’t turn back the clock

    Last dance up for grabs – you can’t turn back the clock

    In one of his autobiographies, Tony McCoy told a story about the Aintree National won by Red Marauder. The ground at the Liverpool venue was bottomless, with the result that when The Champ and another rider – possibly Mick Fitzgerald – were unseated from their mounts they realised they were in fact the only ones…

  • Julia’s partner said “I’m bored retired, and that’s why I came back again”!

    Julia’s partner said “I’m bored retired, and that’s why I came back again”!

    “Send In The Clowns” must be one of the saddest songs ever written. Even the tune of it is tear jerking. Mind you, there have been absolutely no clowns in the environs of the PDC World Championship, but if you put different lyrics to the same tune you could have “Tear up the script” and…

  • Moments of perfection win the battle but not always the war

    Moments of perfection win the battle but not always the war

    Ray Houghton’s goal against Italy in the Giant’s Stadium in New York was a remarkable thing.  Never to be forgotten for myriad reasons. Not many would’ve had the audacity to try or capability to execute the lob essayed over Gianluca Pagluca – the best custodian on the planet at the time – which the man…

  • Flowers of Scotland steal the show as Barry flies Royal flag

    Flowers of Scotland steal the show as Barry flies Royal flag

    Willie Borland – remember the name. You’re not likely to forget it. On the night 67-year-old Paul Lim – the first man to ever hit a nine dart finish at the World Championships – bowed out of this year’s version, 32 years after that historic occasion, after a typically brave effort, the young Scot joined…

  • The Magpie takes tough battle on the Chin on a good day for the Irish

    The Magpie takes tough battle on the Chin on a good day for the Irish

    First things first – God bless Sky+ and Series Link. It wasn’t realised the afternoon sessions at the PDC World Darts Championship were starting straight away. So it was a nice surprise to be able catch up on the early action at the Alexandrs Palace. Even more so what it was noticed Ireland’s Steve Lennon…

  • Iceman keeps his cool as Jackpot makes his point

    Iceman keeps his cool as Jackpot makes his point

    Thank Christ it’s Dartsmas! Yours truly would never be a massive fan of this time of year at the best of times, but that upset is magnified tenfold this year. Now read on… There are good points to it, obviously. The grub – and hopefully a drop or three of porter – and the abundance…