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A trip to Croke Park like none before, escaping escapism and more of the week's best sportswriting

Plus, Barney Ronay feels the spirit of George Orwell’s post-plague vision.

1. ’Much like Covid-19, there is as yet no vaccine for the hubris of a man who thinks he knows where he’s going. Once I found Gate A18, I was met by stewards with clipboards, had my name and details confirmed and drove on in to join the queue’.

The Irish Times’ Malachy Clerkin recounts his experience of a test for Covid-19, at Croke Park of all places. 

2. ““There were numerous death threats against me from my work on the radio, and unfortunately, it just became part of my life. Eugene de Kock told me calmly that he was under orders to kill me with a crossbow but ultimately decided against it”".

Jonathan Drennan speaks with John Robbie, who played for both Ireland and South Africa, and finds a man willing to face up to mistakes he has made along the way. For The Guardian

3.How can you think or care about all the love a Fowler and Keane and the original Ronaldo still generate when the land of your grandfather’s grandchildren is at the mercy of a morally-bankrupt governing party and a broken system?

In the Examiner, Kieran Shannon searches for the point in pining for sport.

4. He took an extended break at home at the beginning of the year after suffering from homesickness and while Glass says that he has coping mechanisms in place to deal with his own pangs, the episode shook them back into life as a group.”

Cahair O’Kane catches up with Conor Glass to chat about pay-cuts and playing in the AFL. For The Irish News. 

5. “The Olympic rescheduling is likely to cost an extra £2bn, indication in itself that the whole thing was already far too big. God only knows how that might look or feel in a time of global anxiety and deep economic depression. Is this a chance to do things differently?

“It is tempting to imagine the old certainties might just be swept away in times of macro-disaster, that there is also a kind of freedom here.”

The Guardian’s Barney Ronay hopes the Olympic postponement may bring about a reset in how we are all fed Big Sport.

 

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    Mute Noel Doherty
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    Mar 9th 2020, 1:22 PM

    but I’m still heading over……

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    Mute Cortiss
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    Mar 9th 2020, 1:31 PM

    @Noel Doherty: wouldn’t want to mess with you Noel, not even the hardest Noel on the platform

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    Mute Con Cussed
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    Mar 9th 2020, 1:32 PM

    @Noel Doherty: But how might you be heading back?

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    Mute Noel Doherty
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    Mar 9th 2020, 1:46 PM

    @Cortiss: not possible I’m the hardest, hardiest hard man around so I am

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    Mar 9th 2020, 2:06 PM

    Funny that might be end of six nation road for one or two players in the squad.

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    Mute Robb Stark
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    Mar 9th 2020, 2:10 PM

    Over 3,000 people have died worldwide due to this deadly virus.

    Farrell moaning over a postponed match – and claiming that the players are “gutted” – is disappointing. “Gutted” is losing a relative to Covid-19.

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    Mute Robbie Graham
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    Mar 9th 2020, 3:10 PM

    @Robb Stark: Mate… it’s not. Gutted is a synonym for being disappointed and so in this case is appropriate. All he said was that he was disappointed to hear of the postponement but also says that “you can only do the right thing”. Gutted but what can ya do?

    No to be a semantic fool but you’re reading too much in it. He’s well aware of what the priority.

    I’d certainly be more than “gutted” if I lost a family member.

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    Mute Harry O'Callaghan
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    Mar 9th 2020, 6:22 PM

    @Robb Stark: calm your tits Robb

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    Mute Cortiss
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    Mar 9th 2020, 1:31 PM

    Hopefully the champions cup games are called off too, I think divide out the tournament prize pool among the teams that qualified for the quarter finals, and have no winner. Health has to come first, (p.s, not just because I’m a Munster fan)

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    Mute Declan Keane
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    Mar 9th 2020, 1:38 PM

    @Cortiss: more likely that they award the cup to the team that finished higher in group stages, ie Leinster

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    Mar 9th 2020, 2:05 PM

    @Cortiss: would you be in favour of giving it to the top quallifed team after the league stages?

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    Mute baw baw
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    Mar 9th 2020, 3:06 PM

    Might be able to get a fit and firing 10 together by October.. Or at worst patch up carbery and have him available.. Eitherways his fly half stocks should be thickened out which can only be a good thing

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    Mute Niall James Fergal McCormack
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    Mar 9th 2020, 4:15 PM

    @baw baw: Jim demps

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    Mute Harry O'Callaghan
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    Mar 9th 2020, 6:24 PM

    @baw baw: face palm

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