Roddy L’Estrange: Vinny rides to rescue of his hero Willie Mullins

The deeper he journeyed into the back nine of life, the more Vinny Fitzpatrick preferred a pint that bit earlier of an evening. It was an arrangement that had evolved through time and seemed to suit him, and the lads, better.

“Maybe we’re getting too long in the teeth for wall-banging our way home after midnight,” grinned Vinny as he began to lower a Monday tea-time tipple in Foley’s.

A glance of the watch told him he had a 90-minute window before clocking in at home. “‘Time for three swifties, maybe even a fourth,” he calculated.

The busman’s responsibilities had shifted at Mount Prospect Avenue where Angie was recuperating after her mastectomy operation, and about to start a draining course of chemotherapy.

Relentlessly upbeat about her situation, Angie had delivered a stirring pep talk over breakfast that morning.

“Christmas is going ahead in this house, the holly, hams, ho ho’s, and all. So it’s chin up and smiles all around. Mr Mope is barred. Is that clear, love?” she warned.

Vinny had taken his wife’s message to heart, amazed at her positivity, which he found himself buying into. If Angie felt odds-on to hurdle her health battle, then so would he. After all, they were in this together.

Ferried shoppers

As he ferried shoppers to and from town in the 130, Vinny tuned into Xmas FM in his cabin, and hummed along all afternoon to a string of Festive fancies – Chris Rea’s

Driving Home For Christmas

was a particular favourite.

He also found himself whistling, a sign he was in back in fine fettle once again.

It was a little after six when Vinny ducked into Foley’s, his mood upbeat.

The Six-One news was on the telly and the lads, as was their wont, paused for the sports latest and, in particular, the annual Horse Racing Ireland awards.

To Brennie’s dismay, trainer Sandra Hughes and jockey Katie Walsh were overlooked for the Outstanding Achievement of the Year, despite combining with Thunder And Roses to win the Irish Grand National.

And there wasn’t a mention of the late Pat Eddery, which caused Macker to bristle. ‘

“Eddery was a world class jockey; as good as Piggott. A humble hero too,” he noted.

There were nods of approval that Willie Mullins reigned supreme as the winner of the National Hunt award, for the lads were slavish followers of Mullins' runners.

Fran, a fearless punter, was only half-kidding when he claimed that Mullins had paid for his kids’ schooling. At that, Vinny decided to crack the whip.

“Ye know, it’s not just the racing fraternity who should recognise the sheer brilliance of Willie Mullins but the wider sporting public. The Irish Manager of the Year award is coming up this week and, for me, Mullins should win it by a mile.

“Yet, he won’t as he’s not even on the list of monthly winners, which is a joke.”

At that, there was a silence, broken by Brennie.

“Hang on there, Vinny. I’m in the Mullins camp as much as anyone but there’s other managers you have to consider.

Serious contender

“Martin O’Neill took over a Republic of Ireland team in decline and turned things around to the extent that we’re heading to the European finals. For me, he’s got to be a serious contender.”

Fran was next up.

“I’d go for O’Neill too, but Michael, not Martin. What he’s done with Northern Ireland is nothing short of a miracle,” he said. “Ordinary players at ordinary clubs have done extraordinary things for him, and they qualified directly for the finals too, unlike us.”

The torch of debate was lit and it continued to burn as pints were polished off.

Macker said the award should be shared between Jim Gavin and Brian Cody, "for lifting the bar in GAA management to unprecedented levels of excellence".

Two-Mile Boris felt Billy Walsh's expertise in helping Ireland deliver a world championship gold in boxing couldn't be overlooked, while Charlie St John Vernon made a case for Joe Schmidt leading Ireland to Six Nations glory, which raised a few eyebrows.

From behind the taps, Dial-A-Smile lobbed in his tuppence worth.

"Don't forget Stephen Kenny's double with Dundalk, " he said.

When it was Vinny’s turn on the stump, he shuffled forward in his seat, and cleared his throat.

Eight winners

“Willie Mullins is a proper manager in every sense of the word. Consider the

Cheltenham Festival

, for example. He had to manage 50 horses over there, their travel, lodgings, feed, and their work.

“He also had to organise jockeys and liaise with the owners over which races their horses should contest.

“It was an away game for Mullins too, in the backyard of Nicholls, Henderson and Hobbs, and yet he blew them all away. He’d a record eight winners and saddled the first, second and third home in the Champion Hurdle. Unheard of.

“So you can hold your horses where the O’Neills, Gavins and Codys are concerned. For me, the master Irish manager this year was WPM,’ he barked.”

At that, the lads looked around at each other and nodded. “Winner alright, Vinny, winner alright.”