More delays set to bring early finish

ALL FOUR provinces remain confident they can complete their secondary competition programmes before the commencement of the National Leagues next month – but any further postponements this weekend due to inclement weather would almost certainly result in them being scrapped. Despite some further adjustments to the first round of fixtures, there is still a full schedule of games for this weekend and improving weather conditions suggest they will all go ahead.

There are two changes in venues to the O’Byrne Cup fixtures in Leinster, but otherwise that competition should still be completed in time.

“If there are any more postponements this weekend then that would put some doubt over the whole competition,” said Leinster chief executive Michael Delaney. “It would have to. Because we certainly wouldn’t be in a position to finish it for the foreseeable future if we don’t get some games started this weekend.

“We’ve been checking around, and most places should be okay. There may be a few more changes of venue, but we haven’t anything definite on that yet. There is a strong thaw on the way, we’re told, and the counties are very anxious to get the games under way. I’m fairly confident we will get the thing off the ground this weekend. We’ll check with venues again tomorrow, but we’ll make a final call on Friday.”

Brendan Hackett’s first competitive game in charge of the Westmeath footballers against DCU on Sunday has been switched from Cusack Park in Mullingar to the nearby St Loman’s pitch; and the Kilkenny footballers will now host Offaly at Freshford. Both games will still have a 2pm start.

In Munster, one of the McGrath Cup preliminary games set for this evening involving Kerry and Tralee IT has been moved back to Saturday, and will take place at the Kerins O’Rahillys field instead of Austin Stack Park. The two other games are still set for this evening, with Tipperary taking on UL at Dr Morris Park in Thurles, while Limerick host Waterford IT, in a game switched to the Staker Wallace pitch in Bulgaden, near Kilmallock.

The Connacht Council will meet tomorrow to decide if the first-round ties in their FBD League, which have already been deferred by a week, will go ahead this weekend. The competition, which pits the five Connacht counties and three colleges in the province against each other, fell foul to the freezing conditions last weekend.

All four opening round matches were put back to this weekend but there are concerns about them going ahead as weather again deteriorates. Again, the Connacht Council will leave it as late as possible before making a call this weekend, as the competition may be scrapped this year if the games do not take place this weekend.

This weekend’s round of fixtures see Galway take on Sligo, Mayo host NUIG, Leitrim entertain GMIT and Sligo IT meet Roscommon.

The competitive hurling action gets under way in Munster with four games in the opening round of the Waterford Crystal Cup scheduled for Sunday. Cork face UCC, Kerry take on UL at Tralee, Ger “Sparrow” O’Loughlin manages Clare for the first time against Waterford IT while Waterford host Cork IT.

That latter game will see Waterford hurlers debut the newly-sponsored jerseys of mobile phone network 3. They were unveiled in Croke Park yesterday as the county sponsors for the next two years, to cover the hurling and football codes, and includes all grades from minor to senior.

Paul Griffin has been reappointed Dublin football captain for the 2010 season. This is the Kilmacud Crokes man’s second term as team captain following last season. Manager Pat Gilroy has several injuries ahead of the season opener, Sunday’s O’Byrne Cup meeting with Wexford at Parnell Park; Alan Brogan is recovering from a hand operation, and Barry Cahill from abductor injury. Darren Magee is rehabilitating following a knee cartilage injury. Denis Bastic had an ankle operation in December and Pat Burke is rehabilitating following a shoulder injury. Finally, Tomas Quinn, sustained a metatarsal fracture in training last weekend.

(All fixtures 2pm unless stated)

Connacht

Saturday

FBD SF Group A: Sligo IT v Roscommon, Kiltoom; Mayo v NUI Galway, Ballinode.

FBD SF Group B: Galway v Sligo, Tuam; Leitrim v GMIT, Cloone.

Munster

Today

McGrath Cup SF: Tipperary v University of Limerick, Dr Morris Park, Thurles, 7.30pm; Limerick v Waterford IT, Staker Wallace Grounds, 7.30pm.

Sunday

McGrath Cup SF: Kerry v IT Tralee, Kerins O’Rahillys, Tralee, 2.0pm.

Waterford Crystal Cup SH: Cork v UCC, Páirc Uí Rinn; Kerry v University of Limerick, Austin Stack Park, Tralee; Clare v Waterford IT, Meelick; Waterford v Limerick IT, Ballyduff Upper.

McGrath Cup SF Quarter-finals: If Tipperary v Limerick IT, Seán Treacy Park, Tipperary; If Limerick IT v University of Limerick, LIT; Kerry or IT Tralee v Waterford, Fitzgerald Stadium; If Limerick v Cork IT, Kilmallock; If Cork IT v Waterford IT, CIT; Clare v University College Cork, Cooraclare.

Leinster

Saturday

O’Byrne Cup SF: Laois v Dublin IT, Graiguecullen, 7.30pm.

Sunday

O’Byrne Cup SF: Kildare v UCD, Newbridge; Carlow v Athlone IT, Carlow; Wicklow v Louth, Baltinglass; Dublin v Wexford, Parnell Park; Longford v Meath, Ballymahon; Kilkenny v Offaly, Freshford; Westmeath v DCU, St Loman’s.

Ulster

Saturday

Dr McKenna Cup SF Group A: Armagh v UUJ, Crossmaglen. Group B: Cavan v Donegal, Kingspan Breffni Park, 7pm. Group C: Down v Queen’s, Páirc Esler, 7pm. Sunday

Dr McKenna Cup SF Group A: Fermanagh v Monaghan, Brewster Park. Group B: Tyrone v St Mary’s, Healy Park. Group C: Antrim v Derry, Casement Park.