Mark McGwire, slugger for the St Louis Cardinals, belted himself into US sporting history by surpassing Babe Ruth's record for home runs in a single season. BSkyB purchased Manchester United. Back at home, it was All-Ireland month. To mark the occasion, Offaly's Johnny Pilkington released an autographed health and diet book and made tentative plans with Pat Comer to shoot a fitness video. In a jazzier reprise of the Leinster final, a new look Offaly out-gunned Kilkenny. Next up were the footballers and Kildare, the quiet-spoken dreamers of the summer were done down by a mesmerising late rush from the Galway men. Afterwards, corner forward Niall Finnegan explained their secret. "We had our Viagra at half-time."