Kilkenny star got word that he would not start

MARTIN COMERFORD has revealed the difficult circumstances in which he discovered he wouldn’t be starting last Sunday’s All-Ireland hurling final against Tipperary. Comerford got word before the official team announcement last Friday, but says in some ways it took the pressure off as he felt he would still be playing some role.

“I got a phone call on Thursday night to tell me I wasn’t playing,” he explained in Croke Park yesterday.

“Someone must have got word of it from a programme or something. It wasn’t from the management. These things get out from time to time but there are rumours about teams every year.

“It was very disappointing that you weren’t playing, but managers have a job to do. He’s not trying to lose the game. He’s trying to put out the best team as he sees fit and from what he’s seen in training. There’s other players that weren’t there either, that would have equal or even more disappointment than I would have.

“John Dalton, PJ Delaney, a fantastic young player. TJ Reid is coming through and he’s going to be a joy to watch, the things he can do with the ball are phenomenal, and he wasn’t playing either, so it’s not just me.”

Comerford was back in Croke Park for the announcement that Guinness, one of the sponsors of the hurling championship, had raised €24,000 for the GAA 125 Hurling Development Fund. Guinness pledged to donate €250 for every goal scored during the championship, and with 96 goals scored in total, €24,000 will be donated for the future development of the game. The last of those goals was scored by Comerford, which not only made up for the disappointment of not starting, but ultimately secured Kilkenny’s victory and with that their four-in-a-row All-Irelands: “You’re naturally disappointed that you’re not playing,” added Comerford.

“But it’s not about individuals. It’s about the 33 fellows that are training since last January or December, looking after themselves and dedicating their private lives to winning an All-Ireland. It worked out well for us in the end.

“And a little bit of the pressure is off when you’re not starting. You’re kind of a bit more relaxed over the weekend, ‘I’m not playing in the game’. I had an inkling that I’d probably get a run at some stage. Going into the game I knew it was going to be a very close game, that there might be a couple of points in it. I suppose to come on with 15 minutes left and to get a goal was fantastic for myself, I’m delighted.”

Of course the goal before Comerford’s – the penalty by Henry Shefflin – remains highly contentious, although Comerford didn’t believe it underlined the need for a TMO – or television match official – like in rugby:

“I wouldn’t imagine that that will ever come in to play. Diarmuid Kirwan had a decision to make, it was a split second decision to make, you know, he made it.”

Armagh’s Joe Kernan was formally ratified as the new Galway senior football manager at a county board meeting in Loughgeorge last night. Once announcing his interest Kernan was always the favourite to succeed Liam Sammon and was the first choice of the sub-committee set up to fill the position after Sammon’s resignation following their championship exit to Donegal in the fourth round of the All-Ireland qualifiers.

Kernan obviously brings significant credentials to the position. Having served for years as an Armagh footballer, winning an All Star in 1977, he first made his name in management when guiding Crossmaglen to the first of their All-Ireland club titles in 1997. In his first year as Armagh senior manager, in 2002, he famously guided the county to their first ever senior All-Ireland, beating Kerry in the final.