Proceeds for Omagh fund

The GAA is to set up a trust among all its clubs, counties and provinces aimed at alleviating suffering among the victims of the Omagh bombing. As a first step a sum in the region of £250,000, representing the bulk of the proceeds from the All-Ireland semi-final replay between Clare and Offaly in Thurles on Saturday will be used to launch the fund.

In a statement yesterday the GAA stated that: "The association is currently considering the organisation of a nationwide trust among its units to raise funds to help alleviate the suffering amongst the families of the Omagh victims.

"As an initial exercise a substantial part of the proceeds from Saturday's games in Thurles will be allocated to this fund. Central Council does not intend benefiting financially from Saturday's games."

The announcement also stated that admission to the stadium for the Galway-Kilkenny under-21 hurling semi-final as well as the senior match between Clare and Offaly will be half the normal price. Admission will be £10 and £8 for stand seats and £5 for the terraces.

Calculated on the basis of a crowd of 40,000 paying an average of £7 per head this would mean a gate take of £280,000 which, with expenses deducted, would mean that the Omagh Fund would benefit by up to £250,000. The attendance at last Saturday's match in Croke Park was just above 38,000 but, given the reduced prices and the proximity of Thurles to both Clare and Offaly, an attendance in excess of 40,000 is expected.

Meanwhile, both sides have a number of injury worries as they prepare for their third meeting. There are serious concerns about Clare midfielder Ollie Baker who injured his back towards the end of the match. Later, when he had cooled down, his back became very stiff and yesterday his hopes of being fit in time seemed very unlikely.

It appears that he has had a recurrence of an injury which kept him out of action for more than a month in 1995 but it is hoped that the injury will respond to intensive treatment to allow him to regain fitness in time for Saturday's match.

If he is not fit to play Clare will have to cope without both of their regular midfielders given that Colin Lynch is already suspended. This would require a major reappraisal of their line-out and tactics for the match.

Also nursing injuries are Anthony Daly and Fergus Tuohy but both are expected to be fit in time.

Popular opinion in Clare seems to have accepted the decision to replay the match. Team manager, Ger Loughnane, said yesterday that he believed that there would always be a question mark over Clare's victory if they went on to win the final. "Now we have to make sure that we do it properly and the players are content that a genuine mistake was made and that they didn't want to benefit in any way from it".

Many Clare people are annoyed, however, that Michael Duignan and Johnny Pilkington were treated leniently when they committed fouls during the second half of the match. They pointed out that Colin Lynch was serving a three-month suspension even though he had not been sent off.

The Clare county board has made it clear, however, that they will not be asking the Games Administration Committee to view a video tape of the match.

Meanwhile, the man in the centre of the controversy, referee Jimmy Cooney, agreed to be interviewed on the Des Cahill programme on RTE. "I have to put up my hand and admit that I was wrong. I knew I was in trouble almost immediately. The dressingroom was a very lonely place," he said.

He revealed that he had written his match report before leaving Croke Park and this would seem to have helped in the decision-making process. He also explained what had happened. He had failed to restart his stop-watch after an earlier incident had stopped play and that he was depending on one watch at the end.

Although he informed the GAA that he did not wish to handle the replay he said he will be in Thurles for the match and jokingly said that he might go in disguise.

The GAA hopes to have tickets for the match printed today and after the counties involved have been catered for any other tickets will go on sale at the shop opposite the Hogan Stand tomorrow.

It is believed, however, that a crowd approaching 50,000 will be present in Thurles. A spokesman for the GAA has pointed out that, with Kilkenny and Galway playing in the under-21 semi-final, a sell-out crowd is expected.

Meanwhile the Kildare and Kerry team selections are expected to be known tonight. Kildare are worried about the fitness of their goalkeeper Christy Byrne who has a hamstring problem.

Kerry are expected to field an unchanged team with Billy O'Shea the only member of the panel under treatment.