www.uibhfhaili.com

I see Damien Lawlor writing in the Sindo now. Didn’t he previously write for the Scar or one of those other tabloids?

Anyway, he had a feature on Damien Hayes and Portumna’s forthcoming club final, which would be OK were it not for some glaring errors.

Firstly, Lawlor remarked on the green and gold flags flying in Portumna town. Hmmm. Then, he wrote that Hayes won schools rugby titles with Gortanumera school! Surely that was the Portumna secondary school. He went on to state that the late Keith Hayes starred in the 1997 All-Ireland minor semi-final against Clare! That was actually the final, which Clare won. Galway beat Clare in the quarter final the following year, in which Keith Hayes again starred.

Now, that’s just 3 glaring errors I spotted without having to look up reference books, so just how many more there are is anyone’s guess. While the Sindo’s standards in the news and features sections have been tabloid for some time now, those standards are now creeping into the sports section.

Just to let ye know to take anything ye read by this writer with a fistful of salt.

Damien Lawlor is an appalling writer for basic factual errors. A typical article about Offaly would start by saying how they beat Limerick in the 1995 All Ireland etc.
Dire stuff!
He must be a sub-editor's nightmare.
It just shows the ambition and standard of the Sindo by taking him on.

Bord na Mona man wrote:Damien Lawlor is an appalling writer for basic factual errors. A typical article about Offaly would start by saying how they beat Limerick in the 1995 All Ireland etc.
Dire stuff!
He must be a sub-editor's nightmare.
It just shows the ambition and standard of the Sindo by taking him on.

Damien Lawlor really surpassed himself in Sunday's effort with his Michael Cordial interview. I won't waste time with the minutae, but BnM Man, you were on the money with your assessment above. someone should buy him a good diary, such is his difficulty with recaling dates & years. I guess Lawlor celebrated the 1915 rising on Easter Sunday.

For the record, Michael Cordial has hurled in 6 Offaly championship wins, not 5 (2003 v Dublin, Limerick, 2004 v Laois, Dublin, 2005 v Dublin, Antrim)