Mayo and Tyrone set for Enniskillen

NEWS: Mayo will travel to Enniskillen for their Alliance NFL semi-final against Tyrone on Sunday, April 14th.

The Games Administration Committee yesterday confirmed the venues, with Roscommon and Cavan meeting at Mullingar the same day.

The Division Two semi-final between Armagh and Laois will take place in Longford, but a venue has yet to be finalised between the other Division Two clash of Meath and Kerry, arguably the most attractive encounter of the semi-final series.

The decision will be taken on that game after the pairings for the NFL quarter-finals are finalised this weekend.

Joe Kernan will have to plan without Enda McNulty for Armagh's semi-final as he was yesterday suspended for four weeks by the GAC following a dismissal on March 21st.

His was one of a spate of suspensions administered by the GAC yesterday. Cork's Philip Clifford is out for a month, while Limerick's Tom Stack will serve four weeks suspension. Donegal's Barry Friel, Longford's Robert Stakelum and Monaghan's Tom Byrne face 12 weeks of inactivity.

Waterford's Gary Harney got eight weeks, while Ciarán Finnucane serves four weeks.

Kevin Broderick returns to the Galway team for Sunday's NHL game against Meath. With Eugene Cloonan still out with a leg injury, Ollie Fahy, who has impressed of late, moves to full forward with Mark Kerins selected at centre forward.

Finally, Down's early championship preparation has been dealt a blow with the apparent withdrawal of Shane Ward from the squad. Manager Pete McGrath confirmed Ward had failed to show for last weekend's match against Derry.

Despite the controversy which shrouded Limerick GAA over the past fortnight, sponsor Tom Moran of Moran's Red Cow has come in to extend his sponsorship of all county teams for another three years. The current deal runs out next September.

Mr Moran said he was not concerned about the controversy and neither did he get involved. "It is difficult to get off a moving train and I have no intention of moving away from Limerick at this stage. We have had a great relationship over the last three years and with Eamonn Cregan in charge I believe Limerick can do very well in the months ahead."

GALWAY (NHL v Meath): L O'Donoghue; G Kennedy, C Moore, O Canning; M Healy, L Hodgins, D O'Brien; R Gantley, D Tierney; R Murray, M Kerins, K Broderick; F Healy, O Fahy, F Forde.