Under-21 season gets under way

GAELIC GAMES:JUST WHEN you thought the GAA calendar couldn't get any busier, this week marks the start of the Cadbury under-21 football championship. The Leinster Council have attempted to ease some of the pressure on underage players – many of whom are also on county senior panels – by arranging midweek fixtures for their championship, starting this evening with four first-round matches.

Several leading under-21 players attended yesterday’s championship launch in Croke Park, including Westmeath’s John Heslin, although he misses out on this evening’s clash with Laois having being red-carded late on in Westmeath’s draw with Cavan at the weekend. Westmeath will still start with nine of the side which started last year’s Leinster final defeat to eventual All-Ireland champions Dublin.

This year’s competition will again feature the Cadbury Hero of the Future Awards, with ex-Kerry footballer Darragh Ó Sé joining the judging panel alongside Kildare senior footballer Dermot Earley, ex-Dublin boss Paul Caffrey and TG4 journalist Micheál Ó Domhnaill. The winning player will win a holiday voucher for himself, €1,000 for his club and €1,000 for his county board.

TO celebrate next week’s hosting of the 100th Sigerson Cup in Belfield, the most successful college in universities Gaelic football have launched a book entitled UCD and the Sigerson. Written and researched by UCD historian Irial Glynn and edited by GAA historian Dr Paul Rouse, the book details the history of UCD in the Sigerson Cup since 1911. The book is priced at €10 and is available from UCD Sport on 01 716 2183 or e-mail sport@ucd.ie.