FAREWELL TO a true genius of the green baize, farewell Alex ' Hurricane' Higgins. He was a man who truly transcended the world of sport. You may despise snooker or have no interest in sport, and may even believe that snooker shouldn't be classified as a sport - but one thing's for sure, you've heard of Alex Higgins.

In the halcyon days of snooker in the 1980s, Higgins was undoubtedly its biggest box office star. His gung-ho and cavalier style was a far cry from the boy band haircuts and yawning personalties of the players of today - most would find it difficult to name more than a handful of players plying their trade in the modern era.

Yours truly was three years from being born when Higgins won the first of his world titles in 1972 and was too young to have taken it in when he triumphed against Ray Reardon ten years later, but the Belfast man still managed to leave his indelible footprint in my mind - and sharing a few words with the snooker legend after a chance meeting in a Dublin pub a few years back is a cherished memory.

Some time during the formative years 'Inside Right' remembers being touched by the lasting memory from that 1982 final - a tearful Higgins with his arms outstretched pleading ' gimme the baby' before cradling his daughter Lauren. A magical moment that will last forever and would melt even the hardest of hearts.

Having recently become the father of a beautiful daughter myself, the image strikes an even more emotive chord now - the joy of sharing reaching the zenith with his precious family around him.

Of course, there's two polar opposite sides to the coin and the Hurricane, a player with both finesse and battling qualities around the snooker table, was far from an angel off it. His threat to have Dennis Taylor shot and his constant fallouts with the snooker hierachy, including head-butting an official, meant he didn't win over many neutrals.

He chain-smoked, he knocked back drink after drink, he was human and he was deeply flawed - probably a lot more flawed than most but that was also part of his appeal. His sometimes aggressive temperament and the fragility of his emotions made him more interesting and candid to legions of fans, bored of straight-laced professionals like Terry Griffiths and Steve Davis.

Predictably plenty of column inches will highlight the many failings in his personal and public life and similar to his fellow countryman and genius George Best, it was his love of the high life that ultimately led to his downfall.

However, 'Inside Right' would prefer to fondly remember that polaroid moment in 1982 when he shared his unbridled emotion with his daughter and the watching world. That, and his sublime talent of course. CHAMPIONSHIP THRILLER

At long last the All-Ireland Senior hurling championship has come to life. After a summer of humdrum action, Tipperary and Galway finally kickstarted the competition on Sunday.

You'd have to feel sorry for Galway after being edged out in classic, but fair play to Tipp for their never-say-die attitude.

Despite their big flop against Cork, 'Inside Right' firmly believes that Tipperary are the best team in Munster and expects them to line out against Kilkenny in a repeat of last year's All-Ireland final in September.

They won't get as close this time around though - they missed the boat 12 months ago.

- DAVE DEVEREUX