O'Mahony anti-doping hearing to reopen next week

GAELIC GAMES:THE AIDAN O'Mahony doping case, adjourned last month to allow the parties involved more time to fine-tune their cases, is due to reopen on January 14th or 15th.

The Kerry footballer was the first positive finding since the GAA adopted the Sports Council's anti-doping policy. O'Mahony tested positive for salbutamol after the All-Ireland final defeat to Tyrone on September 21st.

The delay in hearing the case was due to the fact this was the first time the GAA anti-doping systems had been called into action. The initial hearing took place on December 17th and was only adjourned after 1am by anti-doping committee chairman Adrian Coulter AC, who subsequently placed a gagging order on all those involved.

Coulter is joined on the three-man committee by former Dublin football manager Dr Pat O'Neill and Seán McHale, and while the Irish Sports Council were represented at the hearing they are not directly involved in the process.

The Kerry County Board stated in November, when news of the positive test became public knowledge, that O'Mahony was "granted a hearing in relation to medication he used for asthma following a test after the All-Ireland final. The player's asthma has been pre-notified to the Sports Council since the GAA's anti-doping policy came in a few years ago.

"Coiste Chontae Chiarraí and the player are happy to co-operate with the hearing and are confident the player will be exonerated."

After being initially suspended while awaiting the hearing, O'Mahony was subsequently permitted to continue playing.

Meanwhile, the stalemate in Cork hurling continues as the 2008 panel consider the statement made by county board chairman Jerry O'Sullivan, who has two sons, Diarmuid and Paudie, effectively on strike at present.

"We don't expect any reply for the next couple of days as the players need to discuss their situation," said O'Sullivan yesterday. "We're just hoping everything will work out. The county board have stepped away from this while we await the players' response."

O'Sullivan requested the players respect the wishes of the county convention that democratically retained Gerald McCarthy for a third season as senior hurling manager.

The players have been unwilling to share in a negotiation process, independently chaired by Cork solicitor Olann Kelleher, if McCarthy or his management are present.

"Ideally we want to get the management, county board and all 30 players in a room to try to trash this thing out and reach an arrangement," added O'Sullivan.

In Wexford, the funding of county panels for this year has been put under severe pressure after main sponsors Wexford Creamery ended their 18-year relationship with the county board that was reported by RTÉ to be worth €80,000.

The county convention in December reported an annual loss of €250,000 in 2008. In a statement, the board noted that "Wexford Creamery has been involved with the sponsorship of county teams in Wexford since 1991 and this partnership has amicably come to an end. The county board are now in the process of seeking new sponsors for their adult county teams."

All-Ireland football champions Tyrone return to the field on Sunday for the first time since last September's victory, against Down in the McKenna Cup.

Team captain Brian Dooher (groin) and Brian McGuigan (ankle) are absent following recent operations, while Pascal McConnell is out long term after dislocating a kneecap. The panel return home from a team holiday in Orlando, Florida this week.

New Dublin hurling manager Anthony Daly has announced a preliminary 38-man squad for the 2009 season. Damien Russell and Shane Martin return along with Alan McCrabbe but Paul Ryan is unavailable because of travelling commitments.

Ronan Fallon, David Curtain and Gary Maguire are included in the panel but are not expected back in Ireland ahead of the opening Walsh Cup encounter against All-Ireland champions Kilkenny on January 18th.

• Ulster Council president Tom Daly has confirmed that a state-of-the-art floodlighting system is to be installed at St Tiernach's Park in Clones this year.

Although the Monaghan stadium is the province's premier venue, it is the last of the nine northern county grounds to be floodlit.

The recent reopening of the Athletic Grounds in Armagh left Clones out on a limb, but the ground is to be upgraded in 2009.

Tyrone's Healy Park was the first Ulster ground to erect lights, and it was followed by Breffni Park in Cavan, Antrim's Casement Park, Ballybofey (Donegal), Down's Páirc Esler in Newry, Celtic Park in Derry city and Brewster Park, Enniskillen (Fermanagh).

"It is our intention to complete the floodlighting in St Tiernach's Park, Clones in 2009, which will see all nine Ulster counties with their primary ground floodlit to television standard," said Daly.