Compiled by IAN O'RIORDANand GAVIN CUMISKEY
Sevens up: Mayo and Donegal sides eye glory in 40th edition of All-Ireland Sevens
The omens could be strong around Stillorgan by late Saturday afternoon, at least if the clubs from Mayo and Donegal have any say in the 40th annual All-Ireland Football Sevens.Mayo champions Ballintubber will be joined by Knockmore and Claremorris, while Gaoth Dóbhair and Dungloe will be flying the Donegal flag in the popular tournament, hosted as always by Kilmacud Crokes, and sponsored this year by FBD.
As part of the 40th celebrations, a specially designed All-Ireland Celtic Cross medal has been commissioned, and all of the previous winners have been invited back to attend. There will also be a draw for some All-Ireland tickets.
Teams will play out the group stages at four venues in the Stillorgan area with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final being played in Glenalbyn.
Group 1: Ballymun Kickhams (Dublin); Corofin (Galway); Gaoth Dóbhair (Donegal); Ilen Rovers (Cork).
Group 2: Leixlip (Kildare); Ballintubber (Mayo); Kickhams Creggan (Antrim); Ballylanders (Limerick).
Group 3: Naomh Olaf (Dublin); Killererin (Galway); John Mitchell’s (Derry); Clan na nGael (Roscommon).
Group 4: Skryne (Meath); An Greagan/Maghlocha (Galway); St Brigids (Antrim); Ballinascreen (Derry).
Group 5: Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin); Knockmore (Mayo); Eoghan Ruadh (Derry); Erin’s Own (Antrim).
Group 6: Gracefield (Offaly); Milltown (Galway); Dunloe (Donegal); Bryansford (Down).
Group 7: Ballycumber (Offaly); Caherlistrane (Galway); St Galls (Antrim); Clonoe O’Rahillys (Tyrone).
Group 8: St. Mary’s (S) (Dublin); Kilkerrin-Clonberne (Galway); Cavan Gaels (Cavan); Castlewellan (Down).
Group 9: An Tóchar (Wicklow): Cortoon Shamrocks (Galway); St Patrick’s (Loup) (Derry); An Ríocht (Down).
Group 10: St Lomans (Westmeath); Claremorris (Mayo); Clonduff (Down); Tourlestrane (Sligo).
Venues: Glenalbyn (Groups 1 2); St Olafs (Groups 3 4); Silverpark (Groups 5, 6, 7 8); St Olafs Groups (9 10).
*The St Anne's club in Dublin is also marking All-Ireland football weekend by hosting a charity match between the 1992 finalists Dublin and Donegal at their Bohernabreena grounds on Saturday, with all proceeds go to Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin. Scheduled for 6.15pm, admission is €5 and under 16s are free of charge, although it's not yet clear how many members of the old sides will be fit enough to play.
Connacht v Ulster finals
1943: Roscommon 1-6, Cavan 1-6;
Roscommon 2-7, Cavan 2-2
Wartime restrictions reduced the number of trains travelling despite which a record attendance of 68,023 turned up. Nervous in their first final appearance, Roscommon were caught at the end of the drawn match. Extra-time was refused by the teams.
The replay was an ill-disciplined affair with one of Cavan’s goal scorers Joe Stafford sent off early in the second half. Referee Paddy Mythen from Wexford was attacked near the end of the match, punched by a Cavan player and on blowing the final whistle had to be escorted from the field by gardaí. Roscommon were much improved and led by two at half-time, 2-2 to 2-0.
Blue murder: Lyons keeps eye on McHughs
Mayo native, former Dublin manager, and well-known football pundit Tommy Lyons wasn’t lost for words yesterday when asked to give his verdict on Sunday’s game, which also included an interesting verdict on Sunday Game analyst Martin McHugh, and the tactics of his son and roaming Donegal forward Mark McHugh.
“Look it, I’d be very passionate about Mayo. I’ve spent an awful lot of time down there. I was born there, I came out of there when I was 10.
“And I’ve an 84-year-old father who doesn’t miss a match, he travels to all the games.
“The older people would be really, really nervous. They’d be hoping against all hope. I think the confidence has been well battered out of them.
“I think the younger people who are by nature optimists, the people in their 30s and 40s, they haven’t had the same pain.
“And yeah, there’s a bit of enthusiasm there, I was down there last weekend from Thursday to Sunday, and there’s a great oul’ buzz down there. But there’s not the buzz that was there in 2006. There isn’t the what I would call ‘rubbish hype’, where Mayo were saying they were going to beat Kerry.
“They now know that they have a real chance coming to Croke Park, and I think all the hype is in Donegal.
“What really winds me up is Martin McHugh, though lads. I think you are all letting him away with blue murder. He goes on the Sunday Game saying Cork made a bags of their tactics of putting a man up on Mark McHugh.
“Well, anyone with two eyes could see that when Cork put a man up on Mark McHugh in the first half, Mark McHugh didn’t get a kick of the ball.
“And when Cork stopped doing that in the second half McHugh ran ragged and that’s what he’s trying to make sure, that teams don’t push up on Mark McHugh.
“I think you have to push up on Mark McHugh, if you don’t you will let him dictate the game. I thought he was very, very average for the first 30 minutes against Cork. He is a very good footballer and showed it in the second half when Cork stood off him.”
Chance to see final on silver screen
Odeon cinemas have teamed up with the GAA for cinematic first – the chance to watch the All-Ireland football final live for free at your local Odeon cinema.Tickets are limited, and can be won by simply free texting the word Sport, followed by the name of your local Odeon cinema, and your name and address, to 50400 (For example, text GAA Odeon Blanchardstown, John Smith, 123 Huntstown Avenue) to 50400.
The give away will close on Friday, and entrants will be contacted on Saturday. SMS entry requires one message to be delivered (over 18s only).
The Donegal website is also raffling two tickets to the All-Ireland final as a way of making a contribution to the team training fund.
Anyone who makes a contribution of €5 or more will be entered into the draw: The draw will take place on Friday, and can be entered through www.donegalgaa.ie
*The betting game is also heating up for Sunday's final, and Donegal are attracting the most interest, currently at odds of 8 to 15 and that price is threatening to shorten.
However, Mayo have not been friendless at 11 to 5 and have attracted large amounts of patriotic support from Connacht.
Match Betting:8/15 Donegal, 15/2 Draw, 11/5 Mayo.
Handicap Betting:10/11 Donegal (-2) 8/1 Tie (-2) 6/5 Mayo (+2).
15/2:The odds on a draw in Sunday's final. The last final to go to a replay was in 1996.
Having drawn 0-12 to 1-9 in the first game, Meath pipped Mayo 2-9 to 1-11 in the replay.
"I think you have to push up on Mark McHugh, if you don't you will let him dictate the game." –Former Dublin coach Tommy Lyons
