faith in the reds

days. Saturday was matchday and Monday was more or less our day off from the pastoral duties.

“There was a great set-up there in the Devi Hume Golf Club and that's where the soccer players of United would have been playing golf. We also were members there and sure we loved it and got to know Tony Dunne and Pat Dunne, Busby, Foulkes and many more stars.”

The once dominant United have been overshadowed in recent years by Man City. Old Trafford is a great stadium that holds 74,000, but surely they are less unlikely to draw big crowds nowadays.

“Not at all,” Fr Ahern insists. “It’s a sellout every year with pre-season tickets and there's a waiting list of 150,000. Just like other big clubs, it's a very different United these days, of course. Now it's a brand. From the Edwards, to the Irish syndicate of JP MacManus and Magnier, and now the Glazers since 2003. God knows where it's going to go from now on.

“You see, Eamonn, in the present system in England the club thing is very different. It's a commodity. I mean, the top six clubs are literally owned by sheikhs, oil money guys from eastern countries and Arabia. And the same is true of Manchester City. They are also owned by big money people.

“I would say that roughly two-thirds of the Greater Manchester area supports United while City cover a third of the population. You have supporters here in Ireland boasting about ‘my club'. There is no such thing now. They are clubs only in name. They don’t have the same in-depth local community bond of the amateur sports club in Ireland.” The tea and apple tart were going down so well during this fascinating history of sport in general, but for the purposes of this article underpinning tomorrow's Manchester derby, we need a predic- tion.

Gong by all known form this season, City are unbackable raging hot favourites, not alone to win the cup but to clinch the treble.

“I can't say for certain what the outcome will be,” Fr Ahern said. “You know full well that local derbies take a life of their own and on any given day the greatest of odds can be surmounted. Won’t Cork fancy their chances of lowering the colours of the All-Ireland champions tomorrow on their home patch?

“United can do likewise and I am sticking with the team I know best. United for me, always, including tomorrow.

“Pep Guardiola says that only some of their injured players will be back tomorrow. Dias has not trained for two weeks while Akanji, De Bruyne and Jack Grealish are also still doubtful. They would be big losses. You saw how a much-weakened City side were beaten by Brentford in the final game of the league.

“I suppose the only injury worry for Erik ten Hag is Antony. The Brazilian international was injured in that 4-1 win over Chelsea which means that United have qualified for the Champions League next season.

“Take all that into account and the cup final is far from being a certainty for City. I put it to Fr Ahern that he is biased. “Who isn't?” he replies.

Part 2 of this interview with Fr John will be featured in next week’s Killarney Advertiser.

Spa Sevens

Don't forget there will be a feast of football, food, refreshments and entertainment throughout the weekend in the Spa-organised Killarney Club 7s for ladies and for men.

It was a huge success last year and with the current fine spell, Spa is the place to be this Saturday and Sunday.