David gets the pip; THE APPRENTICE MAYO MAN'S FURY AS HE'S FIRST TO BE FIRED AFTER FRUIT FIASCO.

Byline: BY MAEVE QUIGLEY

QUIET man David Neary was the first contestant to get fired from TV3's new series The Apprentice last night.

The 25-year-old Mayo man was booted off the show after a boardroom bust-up ended a nailbiting first task which pitted girls against boys.

For the debut test, millionaire businessman Bill Cullen went back to basics and sent the 14 contestants on a mission to sell fruit in Dublin's Moore Street.

And normally big-hearted Bill - who wrote It's A Long Way From Penny Apples about his rise from street seller to tycoon - showed his ruthless side when he read the riot act to the 14 finalists.

Bill told the contestants: "You are the final 14 of 1,200 applicants so you are the cream of the crop."

Flanked by partner Jackie Lavin and his former apprentice Brian Purcell, Bill told the seven men and seven women that no prisoners would be taken during the course of the show.

He said: "What I am looking for is someone with a 'can do' attitude. But a 'can do' attitude is no good without 'can do' abilities."

Bill created two teams of girls versus boys and gave each EUR350 to buy fruit in bulk which they would later sell.

The girls chose Phoenix as their team name while the boys decided on Dynamo.

But before business had even begun, big mouth project manager for the boys Mark O'Rourke, 26, was unhappy with David's timid nature.

He said: "Dave you want to get some talking done as well."

And while Mark showed off his salesman skills at the market stall, observer Jackie Lavin saw David fall at the first hurdle.

While the final results were brought to the boardroom table, the boys were less than impressed when Bill revealed they had lost out to the girls.

As David mopped up tears with his tie Mark chose him and Ronan Whitty, 27, to go back to the boardroom and face the music.

Bill told David: "I just didn't see the magic." But the angry 25-year-old hit back and said: "I'm not going to sit here and be your scapegoat."

But David's fate had been sealed when right hand woman Jackie told Bill: "I thought David was quite weak on sales. He stood back a certain bit from the whole process."

So in spite of his proclaimed business skills, David was the first to leave the boardroom with, "You're fired" ringing in his ears.

CAPTION(S):

WEAK LINK David Neary is shown the door and, left, Bill