It’s not often that a single story spans three sports but this one manages it.
Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’Neill won’t be able to watch the All-Ireland SFC final because he’ll be attending New Zealand’s opening Rugby World Cup game.
You’d think O’Neill would have an interest in Gaelic football keen enough to make Sunday’s final between Dublin and Kerry unmissable, having played underage football for Derry, but he’ll be over in London watching the All Blacks attempt to get their World Cup defence off to the best possible start.
“Personally I don’t want any of the two teams to win with no Ulster side in it,” O’Neill joked when he met the press on Thursday afternoon.
“No, that’s not true. It will obviously be a really great game.
“Dublin did well to beat a resurgent Mayo in the second game, and perhaps at one stage you might have thought that Mayo had the upper hand in the game. Kerry are just always strong.”
O’Neill revealed that his assistant manager Roy Keane managed to procure two tickets for New Zealand v Argentina in London so it will be in Wembley, rather than Croker, that O’Neill will be seeing out his weekend.
“Roy got some tickets to the All-Blacks against Argentina in Wembley on Sunday and I said yes because I’d forgotten about the All-Ireland being the same day.
“Even though I’m joking about the teams, I would genuinely love to have gone to the game. Since it’s on TV, I’ll have the iPad with me.”
