MART'S AT THE RACES

O'Neill has experienced joy and despair chasing league titles and says of latest quest: Its not impossible but an uphill task

- KEITH JACKSON

ONE of them is a long shot chasing a fairytale. The other is being led by a real-life fable, a legendary force of nature of a manager back in the dugout after almost two decades away.

But only one will get to a happy ending to the final chapter when the story of this season is written.

And with Rangers still planning to twist the plot between now and May, it could even be neither.

On Sunday afternoon, when Hearts and Martin O'Neill's Celtic go head to head at Tynecastle it will feel as if the ground is beginning to move under the feet of this three-way title fight. One way or another.

O'Neill has been here before, of course. A long time ago, perhaps, but what's the passing of a couple of decades got to do with anything now that his eye is back on the big prize?

But as the 73-year-old wanders back down memory lane it’s the flashbacks to the ones that got away that are driving him to want to succeed all over again.

May 25, 2003. The day Rangers pipped Celtic at the line in a final-day turkey shoot despite ONeili’s glory run all the way to a UEFA Cup Final and Seville.

And, of course, May 22, 2005. Or Helicopter Sunday as it will be known for the rest of time.

More than 20 years may have passed. But the scar tissue remains.

And O'Neill has no wish for them to open up again, now that the finishing line to his own astonishing storyline is coming into sight.

‘Are you talking about the championships?” O'Neill smiles wistfully when asked if previous experiences might play some key part in whatever nip-and-tuck may be about to come next.