ANOTHER old chestnut did the rounds this week - Tony O'Reilly supposedly buying a stake in Celtic football club . The rumour was quickly dismissed by Dr O'Reilly through his corporate spokesman, Ted Smith.

Celtic might have proved to be a good investment for Fergus McCann and Dermot Desmond, but on the football field The Bhoys have been slightly less successful. Anybody who saw Hamburg - a Bundesliga outfit in the middle of a domestic rut - dispatch Celtic unceremoniously out of the European Cup Winners Cup might wonder why anybody would put their hard-earned money into the club.

Instead, Tony O'Reilly has put some of his money into the Pittsburgh Pirates to keep the ball team into Heinz's home team. Better there than in Parkhead.