MICK’S KNACK, PADDY’S WHACK!

Or to put it another way…….

JUST HOW MANY CORNY IRISH PUNS CAN YOU CRAM INTO A HEADLINE IN THE SPACE OF TWO DAYS?

Don’t get me wrong dear Spudsters, I like a good headline just as much as the next Derryn Hinch. And the cornier and punnier the better. But this weekend’s volley of  verbosity following the Irish Judd’s famous debut in the Pies’ famous victory has been nothing short of over the top – even by Collingwood standards!

As a card carrying member of the IRA (Irish Recruit Appreciator) it has been nothing short of inspiring the number of  Irish references squeezed out like toothpaste in such a short space of time. It really has been a Vintage Crop.

We’ve had:
”Irish Pies Are Smiling”
“The Luck Of The Irish”
”Ireland Delivers Another Gem.”
”Pies With Gaelic Sauce.”
“ShamRocca.”
“To Be Shaw, To Be Shaw.”

There was even a reference to the Croatian Sensation doing an Irish jig after snagging a goal as some special homage to our Marty. Coz y’know, Dids doesn’t normally celebrate his goals!!

And what about this chestnut from The Age’s Mike Cowley:

“It's not quite the Blarney Stone, but Sydney's Telstra Stadium is rapidly becoming a special place for the Irish.”

Only to top it with this:

“It is where their only Olympic medal - a silver to Sonia O'Sullivan in the 5000m - of the past two Games was won.”
(You just know the Irish, as a nation, will fondly hold on to that memory!)

The only thing that was missing was a limerick to sum it up.
So here it is:

A Handsome Young Lad Called Clarke,
Could Be The Irish Judd From Croke Park,
His Skills Are Not Poor,
And He Looks Like Heath Shaw,
But He Definitely Does Add Some Spark.

Or maybe…….

There Was A Young Rogue Called Marty,
Whose Coach Mick Malthouse Chose To Start He,
Though Not Covered In Muscle,
He Played Like Scott Russell,
As The Pies Had Themselves A Party.

Now it’s all well and good to champion this one game veteran but, let’s face it, it is just that – one game. He hasn’t been tagged, whacked regularly like ‘they’ do to Daisy Thomas, played with injury or even backed it up yet.

Despite the fact that it usually takes the Irish imports two years to get the knack of kicking the tommy and he appears to have mastered it in two months he still has a long way to go.

The odds are, it appears, stacked heavily in his favour though.

So given that all Sydney games, following Tadgh Kennelly’s premiership year, are televised live into Ireland. And given that Marty Clarke is clearly such a champion and key player in our 2007 premiership year, I fully expect the same courtesy be afforded to the Pies in 2008.

All our games televised live in Ireland AND Brazil!

Please note: the views expressed in the above article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Collingwood Football Club or employees of the club. The Collingwood Football Club would like to acknowledge the tireless work of its supporters who contribute to collingwoodfc.com.au.