Hurling postponement gets unanimous support

GAELIC GAMES:The GAA's decision to postpone the triple bill of All-Ireland hurling quarter-finals scheduled for Croke Park tomorrow has been backed by all the participating counties.

It follows the tragic road accident in Kilkenny on Thursday morning that resulted in the death of Vanessa McGarry, wife of the long-serving Kilkenny goalkeeper James McGarry.

Kilkenny's seniors were due to play Galway in the second of tomorrow's quarter-finals; their minors were to contest a quarter-final against Antrim.

The other game involved Tipperary and Wexford.

All three ties have been put back to next Saturday afternoon at Croke Park.

The decision to postpone the games was made at lunchtime yesterday after a request from the Kilkenny county board, and as a mark of respect to the McGarry family.

There was consultation with the GAA's Management Committee and Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) and the decision was reached promptly and unanimously.

The GAA president, Nickey Brennan, and the director general, Liam Mulvihill, have extended their sympathies, and those of the broader GAA community, to the McGarry and O'Mahoney families.

The funeral of Vanessa McGarry will take place in Thomastown tomorrow following noon Mass, and the entire Kilkenny team is expected to attend.

James McGarry had been Kilkenny's first-choice goalkeeper since 1999, and while he had been number two to PJ Ryan in recent games, he remains a central member of their panel.

He and Vanessa had been married only earlier this year, and most of his Kilkenny team-mates had been at the wedding.

GAA officials had been contacted on Thursday evening regarding a possible postponement after Kilkenny county board members met with the hurling management. Once the funeral arrangements were confirmed for tomorrow the postponement was granted.

The Galway hurling chairman, John Fahy, had also been informed on Thursday evening of the possible postponement.

As a result, Galway deferred announcing their team as was intended, and yesterday Fahy confirmed they fully supported the decision.

Both Tipperary and Wexford - who were due to play in the first senior quarter-final - also supported the CCCC decision. In fact the postponement saves Tipperary from playing seven weekends in succession.

The full programme of hurling games scheduled for tomorrow will take place next Saturday with the same throw-in times: the All-Ireland minor hurling quarter-final between Antrim and Kilkenny at 12.15; the first senior quarter-final, between Wexford and Tipperary, at 2pm; and the Kilkenny-Galway game at 4pm. RTÉ television will show both senior games live.

The GAA said patrons who had purchased tickets for tomorrow's programme in Croke Park should note those tickets will remain valid for access to the ground next Saturday, July 28th.

It was also announced that ticket holders unable to attend the rescheduled games will be entitled to obtain a full refund by returning tickets to the source of purchase.

Another important GAA event, the presentation of the McNamee Awards, set for tomorrow evening in Croke Park, has also been postponed and will take place at a date soon to be confirmed.

The rescheduling of the three games should not impact in any significant way on the rest of the championship calendar.

Only two other championship matches were scheduled for next Saturday - the football qualifiers involving Donegal and Monaghan (set for 7pm in Omagh) and Derry and Laois (7pm in Cavan).

There will be another full programme of hurling matches in Croke Park next Sunday, July 29th, Cork playing Galway in the minor quarter-final at 12.15pm, followed by the senior quarter-finals, involving Clare against Limerick at 2pm and Waterford against Cork at 4pm.

The only potential drawback is that the All-Ireland semi-final involving the winners of Tipperary-Wexford and Kilkenny-Galway is set for Sunday fortnight, August 5th.

If either of those quarter-finals were to end in a draw next Saturday, the semi-final would have to be postponed.

But with the All-Ireland final not happening until September 2nd there would still be ample time for rescheduling.

The other hurling semi-final, involving Waterford or Cork against Clare or Limerick, is set for Sunday, August 12th.

In the meantime RTÉ have announced they will be provide live TV coverage of both this afternoon's All-Ireland football qualifiers from Portlaoise - Cork against Louth at 2pm, and Galway against Meath at 4pm.