I knew he’d do it, I just knew it: it was just a question of how long it would take before it happened.  In this week’s Connaught Telegraph, the text of which is carried here on the Club Mayo Dublin site (this’ll save you having to register on the Telegraph site), Johnno talks about who will and who won’t be travelling to the Big Apple for our kinda sorta opening Connacht championship tie on the 10th of May.  Not surprisingly, those who are doing exams – Tom Cunniffe, Seamus O’Shea, Mark Ronaldson and Kenneth O’Malley fall into this category – are almost certain not to be travelling, though, surprisingly, Aidan O’Shea will make the trip, despite the fact that it’ll be only a week before he starts the Leaving Cert.  Well, I suppose he could get stuck into some revision while on the plane.

The absence of these lads is what gives Johnno the opportunity to play up the threat that the New Yorkers are likely to pose when he says:

With these four missing it will be important we don’t pick up any injuries as we won’t want to be stretched any further. Taking New York for granted would be very foolish.

Yes, it would, very foolish indeed.  Imagine taking New York for granted: what with the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Fifth Avenue, Times Square and all the rest, it would – as the Deputy says – be very foolish to do so.  Very.  Foolish. To. Do. So.

Now, please excuse me while I go off and guffaw up my breakfast.