Squareball, gaa shop, gaa gear, gaa tshirts, clothing, merchandise.

How the Derry Co Board see it: Surely you would buy a programme from the likes of one of these girls?

On the face of this is the positive side of GAA integration with the females of the species. And sure for oul fellas like ourselves it’s great to see that these young girls can make a contribution on the big day. Sure a few years ago didn’t an Uachtaran himself Sean Kelly suggest that the Camogs should parade round the field before a match to show themselves off they were that good lookin’. That’s one side of the coin.

Anyway back to events in the ‘Maiden City’ as they like to call it in the Fountain area of the City. The reluctant programme sellers advised Talking Balls that they were told it would be a ‘good thing’ if they sold programmes on the understanding that they would stand a better chance of getting regular use of the County’s Owenbeg’s training facilities. This apparently came from a senior Derry County Board official and to their shame people associated with the teams went ahead and instructed players accordingly.

Lest we forget, the Derry Ladies Football team contested an All Ireland Final in Croke last year losing to London. The Derry Camogie team won the Junior All Ireland in 2007 again in Croker. In fact these are the two most recent appearances by Derry county teams in All Ireland Championship finals. The players access to and use of Owenbeg is now apparently conditional on them strutting their stuff round the environs of Celtic Park, providing a bit of eye candy for worn out Co Board officials. What next?

Talking Balls looks forward to seeing the Derry footballers selling programmes and parking cars at the next camogie game. Sure what goes around comes around. Doesn’t it?