O’Connell backing O’Driscoll to return
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By DECLAN ROONEY
Paul O’Connell has no doubts but Brian O’Driscoll will make a full recovery and be back in action better than ever after shoulder surgery. Indeed, O’Connell reckons the Ireland captain can benefit from the lay-off and return stronger than ever.
“I have no doubt he will come back, absolutely no doubt,” said the Munster captain. “I suppose it’ll be fun for people to write him off now in the papers or whatever for a few months but I have no doubt he’ll come back.
“It’ll probably do him well. I think sometimes when you are rehabbing injuries all the time it doesn’t do any harm to have something that rules you out for a few months so you can work on a few other things. You can work on your speed, your strength and different thing like that.
“And the break refreshes you and I think there is probably one or two more seasons, no doubt, in him, and I think he’ll probably play all the better for it. That’s his thing, he is mentally very strong and I know it was a struggle for him. I know when I play, I hate to play injured, you want to be 100 per cent all the time. It really rattles you when you are not going out there at 100 per cent.
“It has probably been a tough few months of him like that, but I think it is a great decision for him for his career. I have no doubt with his mental strength and the way he is made up he’ll come back and he will probably have a great finish to his career because of the break.”
O’Connell is focusing on Saturday’s visit of a strong Northampton side to Thomond Park that were desperately unlucky to be pipped by Leinster in last year’s final. And after tasting defeat to Leinster themselves last weekend, Munster head coach Tony McGahan is confident his side can bounce back with a big performance on Saturday – especially in the set-pieces.
“It’s going to be a huge contest this week,” said McGahan. “We know first hand from Northampton two years ago in the two pool games and the quarter-final, and certainly in their progress to get to the final last year, was on the back of the scrum in particular.
“So, it’s going to be a very, very important part of the game and the result will be hanging off the back of that. There are a side that are in your face, they let you know if you have made a mistake. I think the strong thing about Northampton is that they are not a side that beats themselves, they are a well-disciplined side and they limit their mistakes. And if you are going to get a result against them, we certainly know we need to make sure to control our own territory and not give them easy opportunities to kick points and give them easy field possession, because they are a side that feeds off mistakes.”
To secure the win, Munster will need to achieve at least parity in the scrum, and consequently, it will come as some relief to McGahan that BJ Botha has been able to take his place in the squad after the South African tighthead limped off two minutes from time against Leinster.
“He was just really tired. It was that simple, he played a lot of rugby this year and it was very competitive in a very contested game and especially with a sequence of scrums down on the line at the last part.”
With Keith Earls ruled out for the rest of the year with a knee injury and World Cup casualties Jerry Flannery, David Wallace and Felix Jones it is a youthful and inexperienced 23 that McGahan is likely to select. No worries though, he claims. “It is well documented where the squad is and where it is moving to, we can only put 15 on the park and we need everyone to be able to stand on their own two feet and be able contribute to the result. Whether someone is out there in the 15 or the 23 on Saturday they are only there because they can get the job done,” he said.
“You can only deal with what you’ve got, looking through injuries or form or other things like that are outside the group’s control. All we know is we can pick the 15 and pick the 23 and put them on the park and we expect everyone to go out there and get the job done,” added McGahan.
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.
Galway seek Connacht fixture deferral to facilitate Hanley rules trip
By JOHN FALLON
GALWAY GAA officials have asked the Connacht Council to postpone the provincial club semi-finals for a couple of weeks to allow Finian Hanley to travel with the Irish squad to Australia.
Hanley, who was vice-captain last year, is due to skipper Salthill/Knocknacarra in their Galway SFC semi-final replay on Sunday afternoon against Tuam Stars.
Hanley will travel to Australia on Monday if Salthill lose but if they win, the Galway SFC final is scheduled for the following Sunday as the Connacht club semi-final is fixed for the following week, November 6th.
The Galway championship is running late because of a row over a player’s eligibility which dragged on all summer, as well as an unusually high number of draws in games.
Galway football board secretary Seamus O’Grady said they are hopeful that the Connacht Council can push back the provincial semi-finals by a couple of weeks
“We have made a request that the Connacht semi-finals be moved by a couple of weeks to facilitate the delay in our competition because of all the draws we have had,” said O’Grady.
“If Salthill/Knocknacarra were to win on Sunday then Finian would have a real hard decision to make. Hopefully our request will be granted. I see Ulster and Leinster have given some grace so hopefully Connacht can now grant our request.”
The Galway champions are due to meet the winners of the Mayo final on November 6th, which will be contested by Ballintubber and Castlebar Mitchels next Sunday.
Tourlestrane of Sligo and Roscommon kingpins St Brigids meet in the other semi-final on the same day.
The Connacht decider is scheduled for Sunday November 20th, with the winners playing newly crowned London champions Fulham Gaels in an All-Ireland quarter final on December 4th.
Meanwhile Wicklow star Leighton Glynn, who has been selected to play for Ireland in his third international rules series, will not travel out to Australia until Monday.
He will be remaining at home for the weekend to help his local hurling and football clubs in vital championship games.
Rathnew, the reigning county senior football champions are involved in a crucial semi-final replay against their parish neighbours St. Patrick’s on Saturday, while Glenealy’s hurlers have a home game in the Leinster club championship against Kildare champions Celbridge on Sunday.
Feehily confident of securing new Sligo sponsor
By JOHN FALLON
The chairman of the Sligo Football Board is very confident that the county will attract a new sponsor after Clifford Electrical ended its 20-year association with the Yeats County.
The electrical company had formed one of the longest sponsorship deals in the GAA with Sligo, but according to Feehily there has been a huge interest in sponsoring Kevin Walsh’s side.
“So far there has been huge enthusiasm from a number of possible sponsors about getting involved with Sligo GAA,” said Feehily.
“We have been well aware that this was coming, it didn’t catch us by surprise. Discussions have been ongoing with potential new sponsors for a few months now and I am very confident that we will have someone in place in the near future.
“However when there is more than one part involved in discussions it can take a little while for every element to come together,” he said.
As part of the new deal it is expected that a package for underage teams, development squads, Under-21s, football and hurling will be on offer to potential sponsors.
And Feehily paid tribute to the Clifford family for helping Sligo GAA through some of its most difficult years.
“Clifford Electrical was a great supporter of Sligo GAA and in fairness to them after 20 years of being on the jersey the time had come for a change. They might not have gotten the most from the advertising at this stage. But there will be an opportunity there for them in the future.
“But these are exciting times ahead for Sligo GAA. It is a new beginning with a new sponsor and it has been great to see such an interest in the deal.”
Shine hopeful of Fergie return
By DECLAN ROONEY
Roscommon forward Donie Shine is keeping his fingers crossed that former manager Fergal O’Donnell can return as boss of the county at some time in the future.
O’Donnell stepped down as manager of the 2010 Connacht champions after three years in charge and Shine paid tribute to “a brilliant manager”.
“I played nearly all my minor and senior inter-county football under Fergie and all I can say is that he was a fantastic manager. Every year we had decent success and I would put all that down to Fergie and his style of management.
“It is very disappointing that he is going, but we all have to wish him well in the future. He had indicated to us that he was sure about his future as manager, that he wasn’t 100 percent decided on staying on.”
O’Donnell, who works as a garda, is understood to have ended his three-year stint to spend more time with his young family. But Shine claims he always thought the popular boss would give it one more go after sealing promotion out of division four.
“But deep down I thought he would give it another year and stay on, but you have to respect his decision. The amount of work he put into the county team was huge, no stone was left unturned and any success we had was because of him.
“Hopefully he may return to the job at some stage in the future, down the line. He was a brilliant manager for Roscommon.”
Horan hoping for new Treaty deal
By DECLAN ROONEY
Limerick football manager Maurice Horan is hoping to get the nod to continue as Treaty boss for a second year.
The Mayo native was handed a two-year term by the Limerick county board last year, but both sides agreed to a review after the first season.
And with Limerick making their first appearance in Croke Park on the back of three championship victories, Horan is hopeful of getting the thumbs up from the board.
“As a management team we are looking to be involved with Limerick again next year,” said Horan.
“I intend to put my name forward for ratification again and will be reporting to the football board on the year gone by. Ideally we want continuity for the county but we all agreed that a review after one year was the best way forward.”
Wins over Offaly, Waterford and a controversial victory against Wexford saw Limerick reach the All-Ireland quarter-finals for the first time, but defeats to Kerry in the Munster championship and in Croke Park was disappointing claimed Horan.
“Over all we had a lot of pleasing aspects to the year despite our relegation from division three. After putting three wins together in the championship we were probably a bit unlucky to draw Kerry, but I think we made significant progress over all.”
