Dr Crokes club to host McGrath Cup final in Killarney

FIXTURES NEWS:THE MUNSTER Council have moved Saturday's McGrath Cup football final to the Dr Crokes club grounds Killarney with an earlier throw-in time of 3pm in an effort to avoid any potential postponements. The game had originally been scheduled for Saturday night at Austin Stack Park but fears that venue might be unplayable prompted the move.

Kerry will start as strong favourites to beat Clare and in the process defend their McGrath Cup title, although manager Jack O’Connor remains without several first-choice players. Marc Ó Sé missed last Sunday’s narrow win over an experimental Cork team because of flu but should be back although Kieran Donaghy will be away.

In the meantime the likes of Paul Galvin, Killian Young, Tommy Griffin and Aidan O’Mahony are still returning from injury, while Tom O’Sullivan has yet to confirm when exactly he will return to regular training.

Both Galvin and Young recently underwent minor groin operations, and are also likely to miss Kerry’s National Football League opener against Cork on Sunday week.

What is certain is that 2009 captain Darran O’Sullivan looks set to remain in the forward line, having been tried out earlier in defence. Mike McCarthy is the only player who has definitely retired from 2010, while Declan O’Sullivan is on honeymoon.

All-Ireland champions Cork will also be without several first-choice players for that latest meeting with Kerry. Graham Canty is still troubled with a recurrent hamstring problem, goalkeeper Alan Quirke has an ankle injury, veteran defender Anthony Lynch recently underwent a groin operation. All three players are thus likely to miss out on Cork’s opening three NFL games against Kerry, Dublin and Monaghan.

The Munster Council have also confirmed that the Waterford Crystal Cup quarter-final between Waterford IT and UL, abandoned last weekend due to fog, won’t now be replayed this Friday as originally scheduled.

Waterford announced their subsequent withdrawal from the competition and UL will go on to play Cork in the semi-final, set for Páirc Uí Rinn at 3pm on Sunday.

In fact the starting times of both Waterford Crystal hurling semi-finals have been changed from 2pm to 3pm.

Fixtures

TODAY

Dr McKenna Cup SF: Fermanagh v Tyrone, Brewster Park, 7.30; Armagh v St Mary’s, Athletic Grounds, 7.30; Monaghan v Cavan, Inniskeen, 7.30.

TOMORROW

Fitzgibbon Cup (Round 1, all games 2.0): Waterford IT v UCD, Waterford; St Pat’s/Mater Dei v UUJ, Drumcondra; UL v UCC, Limerick.

FRIDAY

Walsh Cup Shield SH: Westmeath v Carlow, St Loman’s, 8.0; Fitzgibbon Cup (Round 1): NUI Galway v Cork IT, Dangan, 1.0.

SATURDAY

McGrath Cup SF final: Kerry v Clare, Dr Crokes, Killarney, 3.0; Dr McKenna Cup SF: Tyrone v UUJ, Healy Park, 7.0; Donegal v Fermanagh, MacCumhaill Park, 7.0; Dr McKenna Cup SF semi-final: Derry v Antrim, Celtic Park, 7.0; O’Byrne Cup Shield SF final: Dublin v Meath, Parnell Park, 7.30; Walsh Cup SH semi-final: Dublin v Galway, Parnell Park, 5.30.

SUNDAY

AIB Leinster Club SHC final: O’Loughlin Gaels v Oulart-the-Ballagh, Dr Cullen Park, 2.30; AIB Munster club SFC final: Nemo Rangers v Dr Crokes, Gaelic Grounds, 2.30; O’Byrne Cup SF final: Kildare v Louth, Newbridge, 2.30; Connacht FBD League (rescheduled fixtures): Leitrim v Mayo, Ballinamore, 2.0; Roscommon v GMIT, Ballyforan, 2.0; Walsh Cup SH semi-final: Laois v Kilkenny, Rathdowney, 11.30; Waterford Crystal Cup SH semi-finals: Clare v Waterford, Sixmilebridge, 2.0; Cork v UL/WIT, Páirc Uí Rinn, 2.0; Kehoe Cup SH semi-finals: Wicklow v DCU, Avondale, 2.15; Meath v GMIT, Trim, 2.30; Kehoe Cup SH Shield final: Louth v Trinity, Darver Centre, 2.15; All-Ireland Club IFC semi-finals: St James (Galway) v Gneeveguilla (Kerry), Gaelic Grounds, 1.0; Ballymore (Kildare) v Lisnaskea (Fermanagh), Páirc Tailteann, 2.30; All-Ireland Club JFC semi-finals: St Peter’s (Lancashire) v St Mary’s (Kerry), Kilmallock, 1.0; Ballinabrackey (Meath) v Swanlinbar (Cavan), Kenagh, 2.30; All-Ireland Club IHC semi-finals: Padraig Pearses (Galway) v Ballymartle (Cork), Templetuohy, 2.30; Dicksboro (Kilkenny) v St John’s (Antrim), Cusack Park, 1.0; All-Ireland Club JHC semi-finals: Bearna-na Forbacha (Galway) v Meelin (Cork), Ennis, 2.30; John Lockes

(Kilkenny) v Inniskeen (Monaghan), St Lomans, 2.30.