Referee accosted at end of colleges game in Galway
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By JOHN FALLON
There were disgraceful scenes at the end of a Sigerson Cup match in Galway yesterday in which a referee was accosted at the end of the match before a mob of angry players then raced to his dressingroom and tried to confront him.
Westmeath referee Sean Carroll and some of his officials were surrounding by angry players from St Mary’s College – a teacher training college in Belfast – at the end of a game which was won by NUIG by 0-6 to 0-5.
St Mary’s had a chance to level the match with a last gasp 45 from their goalkeeper Niall Morgan in the second minute of stoppage time, but the kick was short and the full-time whistle went with St Mary’s in possession and poised for an equaliser.
Referee Carroll and two of his umpires were surrounded and confronted by several players as they made their way from the pitch, and were verbally abused.
Other St Mary’s players and officials pulled their colleagues away as the referee and match officials left the pitch in NUIG grounds at Dangan to make their way along a laneway a couple of hundred metres away to the clubhouse.
However, moments later one of the St Mary’s players, who is from Tyrone, urged his colleagues to “let’s get him” and raced off in the direction of the match official’s dressinrooms.
Several players, some of them urging their colleagues to ‘calm down, calm down’, followed and they ran through the laneway which was crowded with supporters making their way home.
Around six players tried to get into the area where the match officials were changing but were preventing by officials. They demanded to see the referee and shouted abuse at they tried to get in a door to the referee’s rooms.
With tempers high other officials led them away to their own dressingroom.
Match referee Sean Carroll and his officials were not injured and were not accosted as they left the clubhouse after changing about 20 minutes later.
The secretary of the Higher Education Council, Mike McMahon, said that they would wait for the report from match referee Sean Carroll before proceding further.
“We will follow procedure and wait for the referee’s report and then decide what action is to be taken,” said McMahon, who was present at the match in Dangan yesterday.
Red-hot Cummins sends IT Sligo through to face champions
IT Sligo 1-18
IT Tralee 0-7
By DECLAN ROONEY
Danny Cummins sent out a major claim for inclusion in Alan Mulholland’s Galway side with a stellar eight points from play as IT Sligo dumped IT Tralee out of the Sigerson Cup.
Cummins ran riot in the inside forward line as the Kerry students had no answer to a powerful performance from John Kent’s side, who meet champions UCC in the next round.
IT Sligo manager and former Sligo star, Kent, was delighted with his side’s second-half display but is expecting tougher task against the holders.
“We lost our way a little before half-time and I was a bit annoyed, but I knew that we could step it up again. But this is just a win and we are delighted to get into the next round,” said Kent.
“I am delighted for Danny because we haven’t been getting good ball into him. We did today and he took full advantage.”
Indeed the day started on a sour note for IT Tralee, who only arrived at the St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield venue 13 minutes before the scheduled throw in after loosing their way to the County Clare venue.
And IT Sligo made them pay for their tardiness as they raced into a four-point lead with Cummins, and the dominant Cavan duo of David Givney and Eugene Keating finding their range.
A brief recovery from IT Tralee before the break saw them just trail by 0-8 to 0-5 at half-time, but after the restart the Sligo students turned on the fireworks.
Seven points without reply saw IT Sligo race into a ten-point lead as their powerful running from deep and tenacious defending continuously left IT Tralee punch-drunk, especially after defender Eoin Murray was sent off after picking up his second yellow card in the 40th minute.
Tralee full-forward Damien Kelly retaliated with two quick points, but Cummins – who landed five points in the second-half – and Givney continued to run their backline ragged.
And in a final killer blow substitute Martin Dunne showed some excellent footwork and finishing prowess to hit the net, sending IT Sligo into a quarter-final tie with UCC in two weeks time.
IT Sligo: A Faherty; R Donovan, K Keane, J Kelly; D Maye, D Geraghty, D Drake; D Givney (0-3), E Mullen; P Garvey (0-2, 1f), E Keating (0-4, 3fs), G Gaughan (0-1); D Cummins (0-8), S Ryder, A Croal.
Subs: M McHugh for Croal, h-t; K Sweeney for Ryder, h-t; R McNally for Maye, 49; M Dunne (1-0) for Gaughan, 53; P Seoige for Kelly, 58.
IT Tralee: P O’Sullivan; E Murray, S Brosnan, D Larkin; AJ O’Connor, J Scully, K Conway (0-1); R Deane, G O’Driscoll; S Carroll, B O’Grady, M Brennan (0-1); A O’Donoghue, D Kelly (0-2), B O’Hehir (0-3, 2fs).
Subs: B Poff for O’Grady, h-t; D Cahalane for Conway, 51; D Tiernan for Deane, 54; I Corbett for O’Donoghue, 50; C Sullivan for O’Connor, 54.
Referee: Michael Rock (Clare)
Galway abandon plan for training centre and face €2.5m loss
By JOHN FALLON
GAA officials in Galway have decided to abandon an ambitious plan to develop a training centre for their hurlers even though they look like losing over €2.5m on the deal.
Galway hurling board purchased over 100 acres of land near Athenry at the height of the Celtic Tiger period and had hoped to develop a state-of-the-art training complex worth about €8m.
Planning permission was granted in 2008 for the development at Mountain South close to the new M6 motorway which included six pitches, one of them an all-weather floodlit facility, dressing rooms, gymnasiums, meeting rooms, hurling walls and ancillary facilities.
Galway hurling board paid €2.8m for 102 acres and have since paid €535,000 towards the project, the majority of which was on bank interest.
County board treasurer Bernie O’Connor said that the current debt on the project was €2.7m. With interest, this would mean €3.4m having to be repaid over the next 15 years, with €226,000 having to be found each year to do this. This would equate to each of the 40 clubs in the county paying €5,666 each year for the next 15 years, if the debt was to be serviced this way.
He said that they had made a submission to Croke Park, which includes the sale of the land, asking for assistance.
Galway hurling board chairman Joe Byrne said that the debt burden is not something the hurling community in Galway can continue to finance.
“The vision and foresight when purchasing this property was endorsed by the board, but circumstances and the economic situation has changed since then.
“Financial assistance to other projects within the county and province resulted in Mountain South going down the line as regards priority for funding,” he said.
The land cost around €27,500 an acre when it was purchased but farmland in the area is now fetching only around €5,000 an acre, which would still leave a debt of over €2m if it was sold at current values, on top of the half million euro already spent.
Galway officials are waiting on a reponse from GAA headquarters to decide on the best course of action.
Corofin left stunned after fine upped €500 on appeal
By JOHN FALLON
Galway champions Corofin have been hit with an extra €500 fine after an appeal to the Connacht Council backfired.
Corofin appealed a decision by the provincial body to fine them €5,100 following incidents at the Connacht SFC final in Kiltoom where St Brigid’s (Roscommon) retained their title.
Afterwards, referee Liam Devenney was escorted from the field after being accosted by angry Corofin members.
The club did not challenge the four week suspensions handed out to player Justin Burke and selector Michael Donnellan but made a case to the Connacht Council on Monday night appealing the fines.
Corofin were originally fined €4,000 in relation to the behaviour of their players, mentors or supporters; €700 for having more than 24 players togged out on the day and €400 for being late on to the pitch.
However, they were shocked to learn the fines had been increased by €500 by the Appeals Committee.
Club chairman Bernie Glynn admitted: “I don’t know what the problem is. We felt after the appeal that they might decrease the fine.
“We have to assess the situation, I don’t know what we will do next.
“We have a couple of days to appeal the decision, but we’ll have to meet and see what to do next.”
Connacht Council’s appeals committee chairman Andy Hannan said: “We viewed the footage of the game and there was some very serious incidents that took place.
“The Corofin team and supporters were there and no names were forthcoming when we looked for them.
“We have imposed a fine of €4,500 for the incidents involving the referee, while the other two fines are statutory fines and stay the same.
Chairman Hannan concluded: “This was a very serious incident and we had to meet it head on and deal with it and that is what we did.
Galway hurling review leads call for open draw
By JOHN FALLON
A review group in Galway under the chairmanship of former GAA President Joe McDonagh is urging the Tribesmen to lead the drive for an open draw system to be introduced for the All-Ireland senior hurling championship.
The radical proposal is one of several dozen recommendations contained in a report produced after a root and branch examination of hurling in Galway.
One of the recommendations is that Galway ‘should develop and solicit support from other counties for an open draw All-Ireland series at inter-county senior championship level’.
The review was carried out by Galway Hurling Review Group (GHRG) headed up by Joe McDonagh and which includes former managers Cyril Farrell and Conor Hayes, and former All-Stars Sean Silke, Pete Finnerty and Ollie Canning, along with officials from a broad spectrum.
The report notes that while feedback from the hurling fraternity in Galway was positive about the county’s involvement in the Leinster championship, this did not extend to U-21 or minor levels.
“The feedback received by the GHRG in its consultation with the clubs and stakeholders indicates that there has been general satisfaction with Galway’s participation in the Leinster senior hurling championship.
“However, the almost unanimous feedback from clubs, players and officials indicates that there is no appetite for the county minor and U21 teams to participate in the Leinster championship,” notes the report.
It also recommends that Galway needs to strengthen its hand in Leinster and secure increased grant allocations, as well as ensuring that they have home games if they are to continue playing in Leinster after the current deal expires in 2013.
The extensive report, which also includes recommendations for the Galway club championships along a broad range of sub-headings, was last night (MON) presented to officials from clubs in Galway.
Cooney to be put forward for Offaly job
By JOHN FALLON
Gerry Cooney will be proposed as Offaly football manager at a meeting of the county board this evening.
Former Clare All-Ireland double winner Ollie Baker will be ratified as Offaly hurling boss for the next three years and it is possible the football position could also be resolved.
Cooney was interviewed by the seven-man interview committee last week and was expected to meet with Offaly officials last night to confirm his backroom team.
It is now three months since Tom Cribben stepped down, but efforts to fill the position have run into problems.
Cooney had joined Stephen Darby, Jack Sheedy and Tom Coffey in withdrawing from the race, but progress has been made in recent days.
O’Donovan kicks Corofin to title
Corofin 0-16
Tuam Stars 1-06
By JOHN FALLON
ANY notions that Corofin were going to relinquish their dominance of the Galway SFC were blown away at Tuam Stadium yesterday as they produced a stunning display that has now seen them lift 11 titles in 21 years.
In front of 5,000 at Tuam Stadium they were handed an advantage when the Stars opted to play against the wind for the first half. Wing-back Alan Burke pointed from 35 yards in just 20 seconds and that seemed to trigger a shoot-from-anywhere policy.
Corofin would not be renowned for long distancing shooting or, indeed, for amassing big tallies, but they blew that notion away too.
Some of their scorers were of the highest calibre and the game, really, was over as a contest when they led 0-11 to 0-2 at the break. Alan O’Donovan produced a man of the match display to send them on their way. He kicked 10 points — five in each half — as Corofin blew their neighbours and arch rivals away in a high quality final. They were denied an historic three in-a-row last year but were always on top in this one.
Corofin went for the jugular early, with Galway defender Damian Burke, lining out at centre-forward, landing two wonderful scores and O’Donovan breaking Tuam hearts with scores from play and frees.
Kieran Comer, Justin Burke and even centre-back Greg Delaney found the range as the favourites turned the screw against a Tuam side who struggled to win any of the collisions.
Daithi Burke and Greg Higgins dominated midfield, while corner-back Kieran McGrath was outstanding throughout, regularly dashing forward on incisive solo runs. Tuam could offer little resistance, although Shane Curtin got a couple of points but Jamie Murphy had a effort on goal well saved.
Corofin led by nine points at the break— they kicked seven wides as well — and while Tuam hit back with points from Gary O’Donnell, Shane Gaffney and wing-back Noel Henry after the restart, O’Donovan responded to each of them with points from placed balls.
Murphy tacked on a point for Tuam and then Gary O’Donnell lobbed home a superb goal after 46 minutes to leave it 0-14 to 1-6. Then Tuam got a glorious chance to narrow the deficit further when Kieran Fitzgerald was adjudged to have hauled down Conor Doherty, but David Morris saved Shane Gaffney’s penalty. Tuam did not score after that and Corofin ran out winners with veteran sub Trevor Burke coming on in the dying moments to claim his 11th Galway SFC medal.
Skipper Kieran Fitzgerald, who led them to the 2008 title, said “we got the start we wanted and there were some great scores during that opening half which really got us on top. It was a matter of holding on to that lead after that. It is a great win, especially given that it is against Tuam Stars. We knew we would have to raise our game to beat them.”
Scorers for Corofin: A O’Donovan (0-10, 6fs, 1 ‘45); Damian Burke (0-2); A Burke (0-1); G Delaney (0-1); J Burke (0-1); K Comer (0-1).
Scorers for Tuam Stars: G O’Donnell (1-1); S Curtin (0-2, 1f); J Murphy (0-1); N Henry (0-1); S Gaffney (0-1).
COROFIN: D Morris; P Kelly, K Fitzgerald, K McGrath; A Burke, G Delaney, M Comer; Daithi Burke, G Higgins; G Sice, Damien Burke, A O’Donovan; M Lundy, J Burke, K Comer.
Subs: R Steede for K Comer, 44; R Burke for Damian Burke, 60; I Burke for Lundy, 60; T Burke for J Burke, 60; A Donnellan for Daithi Burke, 60.
TUAM STARS: J Trayers; D O’Rourke, I McGough, A Tierney; D Connern, T Costello, N Henry; B Devaney, J Lawless; D Byrne, J Murphy, G O’Donnell; S Curtin, C Doherty, S Gaffney.
Subs: D Marley for Byrne, 42; R Gaffney for Devaney, 30; D Murray for Curtin, 58; G Cunniffe for S Gaffney 58.
Referee: G Daly (Monivea-Abbey).
Clarinbridge reach decider
Clarinbridge 0-18
Craughwell 0-13
By DECLAN ROONEY
They may have missed out on the trip of a lifetime to Australia, but Mark Kerins couldn’t be happier to have another Galway hurling final to look forward to.
While the Clarinbridge intermediate team warmed up the crowd in the Etihad Stadium, Melbourne, the club’s seniors gave the assembled in Duggan Park Ballinasloe plenty to cheer as they marched past a determined Craughwell on Saturday.
“Ah yeah it was sad to miss out on the trip to Australia, but there will be other trips again,” said Kerins.
“You don’t get too many chances to get to a county final, we were nine years waiting between the first one to the second one.
“The lads know well what they have given up but if we get a county medal it will be sweeter than any trip.”
After 24 minutes of the initially dour affair Craughwell let by a point, but the All-Ireland champions hit another 11 points by the 43rd minute to another step towards that county medal.
And it was a disciplined display from Craughwell that kept Clarinbridge quiet earlier on, with scorer-in-chief Mark Kerins handed just one scorable free in the first 30 minutes.
But all around him the team rowed in with scores of their own, with all six forwards registering points from play in the first-half, which saw Clarinbridge lead 0-9 to 0-6 at the break.
One of the leading lights for the winners came from wing-forward Shane Burke. After hitting two poor wides in the first quarter, Burke recovered with a brace of wonderful points in the 24th and 28th minutes, which rebooted the Clarinbridge challenge.
And it was fitting that after a dominant second 30 minutes that it was Burke that hit their final score that saw them over the line.
But in reality the champions should have wrapped up the victory earlier than they did as both Kerins brothers missed good goal chances – Mark after 14 minutes and Alan on 41 minutes – that would have sunk Craughwell.
However with Niall Healy involved in everything creative from Craughwell, they continued to recover from desperate positions.
Midway through the second-half three points in a row from Fergal Healy and Niall Healy (2) momentarily just put four points between the sides.
But a tidy point from Alan Kerins and another Mark Kerins free settled the maroon side’s nerves as they reached their sixth county senior decider against Gort.
“It is great to get back into the final after last year’s success,” reflected Mark Kerins. “It has been a long road for us but thankfully we are there again.
“They really tied us down in the first half and really out fought us when we had the breeze. But when it was in the melting pot a few lads really stood up and put in big performances.
“Gort are a fantastic team who have been coming for the last few years. I think they will be favourites but as always we will approach it one game at a time.”
Scorers:
Clarinbridge: M Kerins (0-7, 5fs); S Burke (0-3); E Murphy (0-2); A Kerins (0-2); P Coen (0-2); S Forde (0-1); E Forde (0-1).
Craughwell: N Healy (0-9, 6fs, 1’65); A Callanan (0-2); F Healy (0-1); N Callanan (0-1).
Clarinbridge: L Donoghue; C Forde, B Burke, P Callanan; J Cannon, D Forde, M Donoghue; B Daly, E Murphy; S Forde, M Kerins, S Burke; E Forde, A Kerins, P Coen.
Subs: B Lane for Murphy, 57.
Craughwell: J Ryan; S Dolan, I Daniels, G O’Halloran; M Horan, J Ryan, C Greaney; D Rooney, N Callanan; A Cullinane, N Healy, M Coughlan; A Callanan, F Healy, K Cullinanae.
Subs: K Greene for Rooney, h-t.
Cunningham set to be named Galway hurling boss
By JOHN FALLON
Anthony Cunningham will tonight be named the new Galway senior hurling manager.
The 46-year-old will be appointed to take charge of the Tribesmen for the next three seasons.
Cunningham, who guided Galway to the All-Ireland U21 title this season, will be joined by other members of his management team from that success, former All Star Tom Helebert and Mattie Kenny.
The Galway hurling board will be held at the Raheen Woods Hotel in Athenry this evening when delegates will be asked to ratify Cunningham’s appointment.
The St Thomas clubman was the choice of the seven-man committee, with Cunningham getting the nod ahead of Portumna boss Johnny Kelly and former Clarinbridge manager Mícheál Donoghue.
Cunningham will be given a three year term with a review scheduled at the end of the second year and he will be asked to adopt an overall strategy for Galway hurling, from underage through to senior.
Cunningham had a spell in charge of the Roscommon hurlers before turning his attention to football management where he has enjoyed enormous success with St Brigid’s of Roscommon and more recently with Garrycastle in Westmeath, even though he has no background in football as his home club St Thomas in the Kilchreest and Castledaly area of south Co Galway is solely a hurling club.
He led Garrycastle to their third successive county title recently and they will take on Longford Slashers on November 20 as they aim to go one better than two years when they were pipped in the final by Portlaoise in their bid to become the first Westmeath side to win the Leinster senior club title.
Cunningham, who captained Galway to their first All-Ireland minor title in 1983, also skippered them to win the U21 crown in 1986.
The only other Galway man to lead Galway to a brace of All-Ireland titles is Conor Hayes, who captained the victorious senior teams in 1987 and 88 which featured Cunningham at corner-forward.
Hayes was the last Galway native to manage the Tribesmen, having been replaced after the 2006 championship by former Clare boss Ger Loughnane before ex-Tipperary defender John McIntyre took charge three seasons ago.
Decision on Galway hurling boss delayed
By JOHN FALLON
Galway hurling officials — who were expected to name their new manager on Monday night — have deferred a decision as they want to spend more time deliberating over the candidates.
A seven man committee interviewed the three candidates last Tuesday and had intended naming John McIntyre’s successor at a meeting of Galway hurling board on Monday night.
Victorious U-21 boss Anthony Cunningham is the favourite for the job but Portumna manager Johnny Kelly and Micheal Donoghue of Clarinbridge are also believed to have delivered impressive presentations at the interview process.
The announcement could drag on as Donoghue is currently in Australia after the Clarinbridge club won a trip there for this week, but Galway hurling board chairman Joe Byrne said yesterday they would take as much time as they felt was needed.
“This is a huge appointment for Galway hurling. The person who is selected will be in position for the next three years, there will not be a review until after the second year so we need to get it right.
“We are in the good position that we have three strong candidates. There are a number of issues to be sorted out and that will take some time.
“We thought we would have the process finalised by now but we will take whatever time it requires,” said Byrne.
The three candidates have named their backroom teams. Cunningham has Tom Helebert and Mattie Kenny on board, while former hurler of the year Tony Keady and ex-Antrim manager Dinny Cahill are on the Kelly ticket. Donoghue will have Noel Burke of Clarinbridge and former Galway forward Francis Forde on board while it is also believed he may entice former Tipperary coach Eamon O’Shea to join his management team at some stage in the future.
