McDonagh steps into breach for Galway

Galway, fresh from last Sunday's victory over Tipperary in the All-Ireland minor hurling final, take on Kilkenny in the under-21 final in Tullamore on Sunday with the wind in their sails. Team manager Noel Lane, a member of the Galway teams of the 1980s, has made progress with this under-21 squad and only small alterations to the line-up were required after they trained in Athenry last night.

Eoin McDonagh, the son of the president of the GAA, Joe McDonagh, comes in at right corner back for Stephen Morgan, who was sent off during Galway's semi-final victory over Tipperary and is thus suspended.

Included in the side is the vastly-experienced Eugene Cloonan from the senior side. He will figure at full forward and is expected to pose a considerable threat to the Kilkenny defence.

The Kilkenny under-21 hurling squad travelled to Tullamore last night for a work-out on the Tullamore pitch.

The team line-out will not be named until later in the week, but senior panellist John Hoyne as well as Bob Aylward and Padge Delaney are all reported to be available for selection.

Meanwhile, Meath football supporters will be making anxious enquiries this morning about the availability of Tommy Dowd for the All-Ireland football final against Cork on Sunday week.

Dowd took part in a specially-arranged challenge match last night between his home club Dunderry and Ballinlough, and his reaction to the effort will be closely monitored today by the team's medical advisers and manager, Sean Boylan.

A spokesman for the team said Dowd had been taking part in light training for the last 10 days or more and was avoiding any heavy work.

There is still considerable doubt about whether he will be fit to start the match due to a lack of match fitness. But he could become an inspirational figure were he to be introduced later in the game if Meath were to need his presence. Meanwhile the six vacant places in the football squad to travel to Australia for the International Rules series have been filled by the team manager Colm O'Rourke.

Following a trial match and get-together at the weekend the six have been added to bring the squad up to the 25 member level.

The newcomers are James Nallen and James Horan from Mayo, Dermot Earley and Niall Buckley from Kildare, Ciaran O'Sullivan from Cork and Declan O'Keeffe from Kerry. Television coverage of Gaelic games continues to expand. TG4 have announced that the Donegal senior football final between Aodh Ruadh and St Eunan's will be shown live next Sunday. The match in Ballybofey will be the first of many to be shown live between now and May including county finals, All-Ireland club championships and National League games. On this occasion the broadcast will start at 4.10 p.m. with the throw-in timed for 4.20 p.m.

The Ard San Aer programme on TG4 next Tuesday night will feature the under-21 All-Ireland hurling final, as well as the Waterford hurling final between Ballygunner and Mount Sion. There will also be highlights from the Donegal football final.

Waterford supporters are looking forward with great interest to Sunday's county hurling final between Ballygunner and Mount Sion at Walsh Park.

"This is an ideal clash between two fine teams," Waterford county secretary, Seamus Grant, said yesterday. "Mount Sion are the holders of the title having won 31 previous titles. They beat Ballygunner last year as they tried to score their fourth final in-a-row.

"Most of the best hurlers in the county are involved and we are looking forward to a wonderful match," he said. Brian Cody, who managed the defeated Kilkenny team in last Sunday's All-Ireland final against Cork, has been named manager of the All Stars hurling team which travels to Boston next month.

Cody seems to have made it clear he will remain as manager of the Kilkenny team for the coming National League and championship and he will face Cork once again in Boston when the All Stars, yet to be selected, travel there for an exhibition match.

A scheme which will offer further scholarships to local sports people was announced at the Canon Hayes Recreation Centre in Tipperary last night. The scheme has already assisted promising rugby players Alan Quinlan and Shane Slavin.

This year nine scholarships are on offer, six of them for secondary school students. The winners receive free use of the facilities at the centre, including personal fitness instruction for a year.

GALWAY (Under 21 v Kilkenny): N Murray; E McDonagh, D Cloonan, S McClearn; E Linnane, R Gantley, D O'Shaughnessy; E Tannian, E Donoghue; D Tierney, M Kerins, D Loughrey; E Poniard, E Cloonan, D Donoghue.