Armagh v Dublin first up for high definition

GAELIC GAMES:THIS WEEKEND'S start of the National Football League will also see a pioneering event in the televising of Gaelic games. Setanta will be transmitting the first high definition broadcast of a GAA fixture. Saturday evening's Armagh-Dublin Division One match from the Athletic Grounds in Armagh will be available on the station's HD channel.

It will be available to UPC digital subscribers, as will at least seven other NFL fixtures during the season, including Dublin’s Spring Series matches at Croke Park against Cork, Kerry and Down.

The first HD hurling broadcast will be on Saturday week when Tipperary and Kilkenny meet in a rematch of last year’s memorable All-Ireland final in Thurles.

Also in Tipperary, the county have announced last year’s All-Ireland winning captain Eoin Kelly from Mullinahone will continue in the role next season, with Newport’s Conor O’Mahony as vice-captain. The footballers will be captained by Aherlow’s Barry Grogan.

Limerick’s senior footballers have received a massive boost with the news two of their three main dual stars will be available to new manager Maurice Horan this year.

Horan, who worked alongside previous boss Mickey Ned O’Sullivan last year, has revealed Stephen Lucey and Mark O’Riordan are committing to both codes for the coming season. Lucey and O’Riordan refused to line out under Justin McCarthy for the senior hurlers last year, but the defenders have played in recent challenge matches for McCarthy’s successor, Donal O’Grady. “We’ll have Stephen Lucey and Mark O’Riordan involved with the football squad this year,” said Horan. “James Ryan has elected to play hurling.”

Finally, there will be a special Tyrone history evening in the Cardinal Ó Fiaich Library and Archive, Armagh, on Thursday. Entitled “Back to the Future Part II”, it revisits the 1950s. Jody O’Neill, the captain of the team that won the county’s first Ulster championship in 1956, will deliver a short talk and there will be historical film from the 1950s.