Sean Choons Prunty' really needs to learn a lesson about allowing himself be photographed in dodgy clobber.
His friends (and with friends like this who needs enemies) seem to enjoy sending embarrassing photos of Mr Prunty to the MNS e-mail address. He now enters the MNS office with trepidation every Monday he's on the programme, wondering which face reddening snap is going to show up this week.
Simple answer Sean. Don't let them take photos of you the next time you feel the need to wear Victoria Secret's finest!
On to more serious matters.
Watching the second FAI Ford Cup semi final from the touchline at the Morton Stadium was interesting for a number of reasons. Our analyst on RTÉ Two, Tony McDonnell had walked the pitch pre-match and was very complimentary about the surface, which is a far cry from how the pitch was when Shamrock Rovers had their brief tenure at the Santry venue.
The good surface is obviously being put to good use by Sporting
Fingal, who play a very attractive brand of football. It really was good to see a First Division side playing such a good passing game, and Liam Buckley can take a lot of credit for the style with which his team is playing.
Sporting are in the final on merit having taken a couple of Premier Division scalps along the way, and Sligo Rovers will be in no doubt that the North Dublin team will provide a stern test on 22 November at Tallaght Stadium. Of course, for Sporting, the short term excitement of a Cup final is nice to look forward to, but overall, it's a longer term project.
A €10million development in Lusk is scheduled, with a home ground for Sporting and a number of indoor and outdoor facilities planned for the community around it.
Fingal County Council are playing a big part in the project, and if it comes to pass, it will provide a great 'sporting' focal point (if you'll excuse the pun) for the 250,000 residents in the county of Fingal.
It is a grand plan, and whether it comes to fruition in these tight financial times remains to be seen, but with such a huge and ever growing population, it seems to me, that a sporting facility such as the one planned in Lusk is not only desirable, but also necessary. Research has proved that young people participating in sporting activity are much less likely to get involved in drugs/crime/underage drinking etc.
The benefits should be plain to see for everyone.
The reality is, that the sooner this all happens, the better. Morton Stadium has had some great days, none more so then back in the late 1950's when Australian Herb Elliott broke the world record for the mile. The stadium was packed that evening, and still plays host to events like the National Track and Field Championships, and as athletics stadia go, it's not bad.
However, as football grounds go, it's a bit of a disaster. The fans are too far away from the pitch. It's very exposed so if it's a windy day like we had last Sunday, there are no stands around the pitch to block the wind, the floodlights are sub-standard, and no matter how many supporters are there it's almost impossible to generate atmosphere. At least they've got the pitch right!
Fingal striker Conan Byrne is fighting a tough battle as club promotions officer to generate new support for the club. Like any brand new team, building a core support is a hugely difficult task, and he deserves credit for the work he has done in the local schools and so on. But the reality is that until the club get into their own ground, it will be an ongoing struggle to achieve the sort of fan base that will come to support the team week in, week out.
When the have their own ground Sporting Fingal's time will have arrived. The hinterland around Lusk should provide enough numbers to generate a decent support, but while the club are at the Morton Stadium it will be a big uphill battle, to get supporters to come to the matches and get them to come back a second time, simply because of the lack of atmosphere at that venue, and as I've written here before this season, the matchday experience has to be more than just good football on the park.
Speaking of matchday experiences, the game between Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers on Friday night at Oriel Park was definitely one that would have the punters coming back for more. Lots of goals, lots of excitement, two passionate sets of supporters, and despite the rainy night, a big crowd.
Unfortunately some bright spark amongst the Shamrock Rovers travelling support thought it would be clever to throw a lighter onto the pitch. This is the third match in a row, where an object has been thrown towards the playing area by a so-called Rovers fans. On the other two occasions it was plastic bottles. Not lethal, but not allowed. The reputation of the club, and indeed all clubs can be tarnished by one or two mindless dummies.
Michael O'Neill was forced to remonstrate with his own supporters at Oriel Park after the lighter throwing incident. Supporters need to be made well aware that if they are caught throwing a missile of any description onto the field then they will receive a ban from the stadium. No matter what age they are. (I've been told that one of the plastic bottle throwers was about eight-years of age).
One other issue which needs to be dealt with is that of supporters celebrating by coming onto the pitch or the edge of the pitch. As the season draws to a climax every goal that's scored can have a huge impact on the outcome of the title race, promotion/relegation, the race for Europe etc.
When players run towards their own supporters, there's an almost natural tendency for the supports to rush towards the player in a demonstration of joy, respect, love, call it what you will. In some cases that involves fans coming onto the edge of the pitch to hug the scorer and his team-mates. Again, it's not allowed, and not to be encouraged, but it's also important to note that this action is no way meant to be threatening to players or officials and should be dealt with in a sensitive manner.
Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers fans have both had occasion in recent weeks to engage in this after goal celebrating. Whilst I don't condone it, I would also disagree with the hang 'em and flog 'em brigade, who don't seem to understand the unconfined joy that a goal can bring to fans at this stage of the campaign.
Throughout the season, I've always felt that Bohemians extra experience in terms of winning league titles could just make the difference when the 'chips were down' at this stage of the campaign, and I think that has come to pass. They know that two wins from their next two matches and they can get the Brasso out again, because they'll have another trophy to shine up for the cabinet at Dalymount.
This week's live game on RTÉ Two and on RTÉ.ie on Friday night is Bohemians -v- Sligo Rovers at Dalymount Park.
It's a very interesting proposition because Sligo are only three points above St Pat's who are currently in the relegation play off zone, so the Bit O'Red can't really think about resting players ahead of the Cup final, and Bohs know that if they win they are virtually assured of lifting the league trophy as a match away to a deflated Bray on the last day of the season would look like a banker away win for the Gypsies.
All Shamrock Rovers can do is hope to beat Galway United at Tallaght on Friday night and St Pat's away on the last night of the season and hope the Gypsies slip up.
It's a great climax to the campaign, and I must admit I'm really enjoying every minute of it. Yes, there was huge interest last weekend in the events at Anfield, Stamford Bridge, and beyond, but give me the thrill of watching my local team battle it out for the title any day of the week.
