Corkonian Wins The Apprentice

15th Dec 2009

Corkonian Wins The Apprentice

Rayner: Pure Skibbereen

As we predicted five weeks ago Corkonian Steve Rayner won The Apprentice on TV3 last Monday night beating a red head Galwegian in the process. Looking at the long term form card of clashes between Rebels and Tribesmen, Galway rarely, if ever, get one up on Cork even in hurling - this year's bout in Semple Stadium being a one-in-a-million victory for Ireland's second biggest county.

The foxy lad, whilst plucky and occasionally likable typifies the misplaced confidence of other counties much of which grew, like insurmountable debt, during the Celtic Tiger. Talking the talk is one thing but attaching the all important track record is another. Corkonians always excel at both.

Raynor will now move to the show's judge Bill Cullen's car sales operation above in Dirty Aul Town on a tidy salary of €100,000. West Cork will be sorry to see Raynor leave, especially as he is being poached by the Dubs but we're confident he'll be back to help build the Cork economy after we achieve independence. Here's hoping he hardly spends a cent of his wages outside the Rebel County in the meantime.

Stephen's story should be inspirational to Corkonians. Plagued with personal problems in his twenties he got his life back together at a pace that wouldn't be out of place in a match with John Allen or Donal O'Grady issuing injury time instructions.

Not that Rayner's time was running out. At just 30, it's clearly only beginning of a long career and everyone in Cork wishes him the best. If he plays his cards right and learns the secret of how such an awful city like Dublin can suck so much money out of the rest of the country, he may be awarded with a post at the Peoples Republic of Cork Department of Moolah and Spondoolies after the revolution. Dowtcha kid.