Cooney wants GPA deal sooner rather than later

NEWS ROUND-UP: THE GAA intends to resolve the issue of recognition for the players' body, the Gaelic Players Association before the end of next month.

Speaking to Richard Crowley on yesterday's This Weekprogramme on RTÉ radio, association president Christy Cooney added that the GPA demand for five per cent of the GAA's commercial revenue would not be met.

“We don’t give a commitment of five per cent – or any amount – to any part of our organisation. We don’t give guarantees of fixed sums to anybody. We couldn’t do that because we can’t say from year to year what our income will be. I can’t say what sponsorship money we will get next year or what our gate receipts will be,” Cooney said of the demand, which would have been worth approximately €2 million on last year’s accounts.

“We want to ensure we can support our intercounty players,” the president added, “while at the same time recognising they are part of a greater organisation which caters for a huge number of club players too”.

Meanwhile, Tipperary defeated Galway by 2-21 to 2-13 in the final of the Tipperary Supporters Club Under-16 hurling tournament in Semple Stadium yesterday. Tipperary also defeated Waterford by 3-7 to 2-2 in the final of the Tony Forristal Under-14 hurling tournament in Waterford yesterday.

Meath’s Brian Carroll and Tom Sheridan pulled out an incredible performance at Croke Park on Saturday to deny Kilkenny’s Ducksy Walsh and Michael Clifford a place in the All-Ireland senior doubles final. In the opening game, both pairings swapped aces early in the tie and were level on nine occasions. At 20-20 Michael Clifford rolled out a perfect killshot to grant the Cats first blood.

In the second game, Kilkenny notched off six unanswered points to bring them within one point of victory, but Sheridan hit successive kills to bring the sides level at 20-20. The Royal County hit 21 to force a third game, which they won 21-10.

Dublin’s Eoin Kennedy and Egin Jensen will return to the All-Ireland final stage following their defeat of Wicklow’s Michael Gregan and Johnny Willoughby in the second semi-final.