Bohemians were delighted to entertain Taoiseach Bertie Ahern last weekend for the official opening of their "Jodi" stand. Led to the centre of the pitch by life president Tony O'Connell, Bertie waved to the crowd and graciously accepted the good-natured applause of the fans nestled in their new habitat.

When the cheering became noticeably warmer, O'Connell, in an effort to reciprocate the gesture to the faithful, made a failed attempt to prise the arm of our leader into the air for a cheery wave back. It was only then that the supreme peripheral vision of the Leinster House skipper noticed that the crowd were not, in fact, clapping him or O'Connell, but the teams trailing out on to the pitch from the corner of the stand.