Gaelic Games

Thaw gets provincial fixtures on track again

GAELIC GAMES: DESPITE THE recent severe weather conditions all provinces are confident they can complete their secondary competition…

There may well be an extra spring in the step of the Kerry footballers this season after an informal training session with the undisputed world's fastest man, Usain Bolt. The Kerry footballers met up with the double world record holder last Saturday at the end of their team holiday in Jamaica, and not surprisingly, Bolt proved a highly entertaining host, happily donning a Kerry jersey. They met at the Mystic Mountain adventure park in Ocho Rios, thanks to Digicel, the Irish-owned mobile phone company, who have sponsored Bolt since 2004. "Usain Bolt is a superstar athlete and, having the opportunity to spend the day with him and getting to know him, has been incredible," said Kerry's All-Ireland winning captain Darran O'Sullivan. "We even managed to get him into a Kerry jersey and teach him a few of the basics of Gaelic football."
There may well be an extra spring in the step of the Kerry footballers this season after an informal training session with the undisputed world's fastest man, Usain Bolt. The Kerry footballers met up with the double world record holder last Saturday at the end of their team holiday in Jamaica, and not surprisingly, Bolt proved a highly entertaining host, happily donning a Kerry jersey. They met at the Mystic Mountain adventure park in Ocho Rios, thanks to Digicel, the Irish-owned mobile phone company, who have sponsored Bolt since 2004. "Usain Bolt is a superstar athlete and, having the opportunity to spend the day with him and getting to know him, has been incredible," said Kerry's All-Ireland winning captain Darran O'Sullivan. "We even managed to get him into a Kerry jersey and teach him a few of the basics of Gaelic football."
SEÁN MORAN GAA Correspondent
Tue Jan 12 2010 - 00:00

GAELIC GAMES:DESPITE THE recent severe weather conditions all provinces are confident they can complete their secondary competition programmes before the commencement of the national leagues next month.

“If we get next weekend out of the way, we’ll have reached the O’Byrne Cup semi-finals,” according to Leinster chief executive Michael Delaney. “So far we’ve only missed out on one weekend so we’re still on schedule to reach the final by the end of this month. We’re not panicking yet.”

The province has a full schedule of matches going ahead this weekend in the O’Byrne Cup, in which holders Louth will travel to Baltinglass to take on Wicklow and provincial champions Dublin face Wexford in Parnell Park. Defeated counties will compete in the O’Byrne Shield.

The hurling equivalent, the Walsh Cup, is not due to get under way just yet, as the NHL won’t start until the weekend of February 20th.

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In Ulster, Delaney’s counterpart Danny Murphy reported a similar situation in relation to the Barrett Sports Lighting Dr McKenna Cup.

“The extent of the thaw means we should be all right and if we get fixtures played next weekend there should be no problem. There has been a serious curtailment of all activities, with most of the pitches frozen and unavailable.”

The province will be using weekdays between now and the end of the month to expedite the competition. This weekend sees round two taking place, weather permitting, with round three due to take place tomorrow week.

Last weekend’s postponed round one matches will now be played on the weekend after next, with the semi-finals scheduled for tomorrow fortnight and the final for Saturday, January 30th.

Connacht secretary John Prenty pointed out the province hadn’t been scheduled to get under way until next weekend anyway.

“We’re hoping to start off at the weekend with the better weather but any further worsening of conditions and we won’t be able to conclude the FBD before the league starts.

“In that case we’ll be postponing the final until the 20th or 28th of next month. The reason for the uncertainty is Leitrim are scheduled to play a football league fixture on the 20th (at home to Kilkenny) and if they reach the final, it will have to be deferred until the following weekend.”

Pat Fitzgerald, the Munster secretary, said that the province’s McGrath Cup and Waterford Crystal fixtures would be run off in quick succession if necessary.

“We’re hopeful that the matches will go ahead this week. We’ve lost two weekends but we’ll go midweek if we have to, to clear the backlog. We’ll be okay if we get two more rounds out of the way.

“The McGrath Cup final is due for January 31st, with the Waterford Crystal down for February 14th. We always to like to have a week’s break before these because you could end with a draw even after extra-time in a low-scoring game.”

The twice postponed McGrath Cup first round is due to be played this week on Thursday but if the pitches in Thurles, Tralee and Limerick aren’t able to take the fixtures they will be moved back to Saturday, meaning a double weekend for some of the counties.

“Everywhere’s been snowed under,” according to Fitzgerald, “but there’s a good thaw and unless it freezes overnight those fixtures should go ahead. If not, we’ll go ahead on Saturday so the matches will be either Thursday/Sunday or Saturday/Sunday.”

Revised Weekend Fixtures (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

Thursday

McGrath Cup SF: Tipperary v University of Limerick, Morris Park, Thurles, 7.30pm; Kerry v IT Tralee, Austin Stack Park, Tralee, 7.30pm; Limerick v Waterford IT, Gaelic Grounds, 7.30pm.

(NOTE: If the above fixtures are not played on the above date they will be re-fixed for Saturday at 2pm)

Sunday

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; Westmeath v DCU, Mullingar.

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.