Bad timing for league play-offs

The ghost of last season's Allianz league will go on a post-Hallowe'en roam this weekend with the delayed hurling and football play-offs scheduled for Parnell Park and Enniskillen respectively.

Dublin and Antrim will fight it out for the right to remain in hurling's top flight, while Donegal and Louth will dual for the last available place in football's desirable winter dwelling.

The new, streamlined league system, due to begin next February, means first division games are more important than ever, and none of the teams involved are particularly happy to be preparing for such vital ties during the inter-county close season.

"We have already gone on the record to express our displeasure at this arrangement," said Donegal's John McConnell. "We really feel we were dealt the short straw given the way things panned out after the interruptions due to the foot-and-mouth crisis in that we didn't have the same opportunities as were afforded to other counties."

However, manager Mickey Moran brought the squad together over a month ago in a bid to preserve what has been a successful period of league football for the county.

"The team has trained regularly, but, that said, it is likely that about 12 of the side that played our last game in the championship will be unavailable, mostly through injury," offered PRO Paddy Mullen.

"I wouldn't like to say it will be a shadow team, as we have a lot of talented panel members, but to be missing the likes of Brendan Devenney, Brian Roper, Martin Coll, Tony Boyle, Tony Blake and Shane Carr is hardly ideal."

Donegal hope to name a team tomorrow evening, while Louth meet tonight.

"We know we have a number of injuries but we won't be able to clarify who will be available until this evening," said Louth secretary Pat Toner.

"Naturally we would have preferred not to be preparing for this match at this time of the year, but we have no choice in the matter. The team has been meeting regularly over the last month."

The timing of the fixture effectively leaves both counties with very little off-season.

"Purely from an organisational point of view this has been extremely inconvenient, but even on a practical level it has been very hard to get any decent sort of challenge games. No other teams are training at the moment so preparation has been difficult," observed McConnell.

Antrim hurling PRO Terry Gibbons reported the same situation as the saffron side prepare to travel to Dublin for their play-off. Both Antrim and Dublin originally thought that they would be involved in a three-way play-off with Laois for the final place, but were subsequently informed that it would be a straight shoot-out.

"It's a bit mystifying, but all we can do is go out and try our best, as I'm sure Antrim will do," said Dublin's Michael O'Riordan.

"Really, this is a very significant game for both counties and will, I think, have an impact on the development of the game in both counties. Winning this means another season of playing the likes of Galway and Tipperary, and that is what counties of our stature need if hurling is to be brought on."

Dublin has a number of injury worries and will also be hoping that their Craobh Chiarain members come through Saturday's club-tie unscathed.

Meanwhile, Meath football legend Sean Boylan will take charge of the beaten All-Ireland finalists for this Friday night's low-key return to arms in the O'Byrne Cup. The herbalist seems certain to continue his two-decade term with the Royals, as he is the only nomination for the managerial seat to be forwarded for next Monday evening's county board meeting. Boylan decided to take time to consider his position after Meath's fall against Galway in the All-Ireland final after one of the crowning moments of his managerial career against Kerry in the semi-final.

The AIB club of the year awards scheme was launched yesterday, with a judging panel examining entrants from every county based on club management, the role of coaching in the club and the contribution of the club to its local community. The closing date for entries is November 30th.