Other gaelic games news in brief

Wexford opposed to Galway's switch to Leinster

OPPOSITION to Galway's participation in the Leinster senior hurling championship is gathering momentum.

Following quickly on Dublin's opposition, Wexford GAA board at their monthly meeting on Monday night overwhelmingly opposed the Connacht county's inclusion.

Former central council delegate, Tony Dempsey, questioned the suggestion that should Galway refuse to participate in the Leinster Championship they would be omitted from the Liam MacCarthy Cup. "I'm amazed with that. What's that going to do for hurling?"

Wexford Leinster council delegate Pat Doyle launched a stinging attack on Ard Stiúrthóir, Pádraic Duffy: "I'm not pushing the boat out for Leinster council. I express my bitter disappointment with An Stiúrthóir.

"On the night of the Leinster Council meeting it was agreed that should Galway's participation be passed at Congress, that after three years should it not be working, the Leinster council would pull the plug themselves.

"That's not included in the motion. I'm unhappy with that."

Wexford overwhelmingly opposed the motion to come before Special Congress.

Pickering out of minor final replay

TYRONE'S Ryan Pickering has been ruled out of Saturday's All-Ireland minor football championship final replay. The corner back suffered a broken collar bone in the drawn game against Mayo on Sunday.

Pickering, the team's vice-captain, had led Tyrone throughout the league and championship in the absence of injured skipper Ronan McNabb.

McNabb, who made his first start of the season in last weekend's decider, is set to resume the captaincy at Longford.

The Red Hands have no other injury worries for the rematch at Pearse Park, a ground with which both teams are familiar.

Carr insists lure of provincial crown still strong

ROSS CARR insists that next year's Ulster football title will be as hard as ever to win despite Tyrone's back door route to All-Ireland honours this year.

Carr, whose Down side have the distinction of being the only county to overcome Tyrone in this season's campaign, feels the Sam Maguire Cup holders will be all out to collect both titles in 2009.

"If you told the Tyrone players they would win next year's All-Ireland by the back door route once more, they would probably take it," said Carr. "But I know the Tyrone players well enough to recognise they have this fierce hunger and thirst to win every game. And so they will be going all out to win the Ulster as well as the All-Ireland.

"Tyrone, of course, did not take the decision to get to the All-Ireland final via the back door route - that was just the way things panned out after they lost to Down.

"But we had to go to a replay, and to extra-time in the second game, to get the better of Tyrone by just a point."

On the subject of the provincial championships, Carr believes that the value counties attach to them is underestimated."I know that Down (out of the provincial honours list since 1994) would love to win the Ulster title, and Tommy Carr would not have come in as Cavan manager unless he felt that Cavan had a very good chance of doing well."

Browne unlikely to soldier on

AFTER 17 years at the top level, Tony Browne could have played his last game for Waterford hurlers. The half back says he has yet to make a definite decision about his intercounty future, but all the signs point to him not featuring in the Déise colours in 2009.

"We're all still a bit down after the All-Ireland," said Browne, after the county's crushing defeat by Kilkenny.

"So it's a bit early to make a decision on whether I'd like to be involved with the team in next year's league and championship."

"This year, when we got to the All-Ireland final, I decided that win, lose or draw against Kilkenny, I wasn't going to play with the county again next year," said the long-serving Mount Sion man.

"It would have been great for me to finish on a high in the All-Ireland final. But it just wasn't to be. I'll be 36 for next year's championship, and no one can go forever."

This week's fixture list

TODAY

GOAL Challenge

Tyrone v Coalisland, Omagh, 7.30.

SATURDAY

All-Ireland MFC final replay: Mayo v Tyrone, Longford, 2.30, C Reilly (Meath).

SUNDAY

All-Ireland women's SF final: Cork v Monaghan, Croke Park, 4.0.

All-Ireland women's IF final: Clare v Tipperary, Croke Park, 2.0.

All-Ireland women's JF final: London and Derry, Croke Park, 12.0.

Cork SH final: Sarsfields v Bride Rovers, Pairc Ui Chaoimh, 4.0.

Antrim SF final: Lamh Dhearg v St Gall's, Casement Park, 3.0.