JOE’s Classic Irish Song of The Day : Sultans of Ping FC – Give Him A Ball (And A Yard Of Grass)

Moone Boy has nothing on football.

JOE continues our look at some of the best all-time classic songs with a tribute to one of the most catchy tunes that ever came out of Cork. Artist, album and year: The Sultans of Ping FC, Casual Sex in the Cineplex, 1993 Why is it a classic? : Any song that can use quotes from Brian Clough is already a winner in our books, that's even before we hear a single guitar chord or drum beat. The song title is a reference to Nottingham Forest's superb winger John Robertson but that hasn't stopped people from claiming that the track is an homage to Roy Keane. To be fair, we're happy with that. In strictly musical terms, the opening bass line from Alan McFeely (we think it's him because the band also Paul Fennelly and John McAuliffe before their debut album was launched) just invites you in before Niall O'Flaherty's screaming delivery is the cue for the song  to erupt in a swell of thundering drums and crashing guitar. Simpy put, it's the finest song about football that has ever been recorded. Did you know? : There was a rumour that the band recorded a duet with Roy Keane which was rebuffed by McCarthy in an interview with The Examiner. “That was never true. He did come into the Liberty Bar [the Sultans’ quasi-mythical city centre hang-out] to look for us once. He was at [Nottingham] Forest at the time… Niall is a big Forest fan. People added two and two and made five. The lyrical hook: There's so many, "he's a nice young man with a lovely smile" is what we've opted for. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O7qwQlORlM