BACHELOR POWER

Evidence that teams are getting younger can be gleaned from the fact that for the recent UCD-Shannon AIB league division one, …

Evidence that teams are getting younger can be gleaned from the fact that for the recent UCD-Shannon AIB league division one, none of the Shannon players were married: we can't vouch for UCD. It appears the fact that the Clare hurlers (1995) won an All-Ireland title with a side comprising of bachelors, while there was only one married man in this year's starting line-ups for the All-Ireland final, Tipperary's Declan Ryan. Incidentally UCD centre Shane Moore - he lead Ireland to their FIRA under-19 World Cup success in 1998 - created a little bit of history when he led out the students for the aforementioned match by becoming the first player to lead captain UCD for three successive seasons.

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan is an Irish Times sports writer