| Barry’s beginner’s luck  After
only four months in the job Meath boss Éamonn Barry claimed his
first trophy with a comprehensive nine-point defeat of Offaly in the O’Byrne
Cup final at Páirc Tailteann in Navan on Sunday.
Leading by a 1-10 to 0-4 score at half-time Offaly rallied in the third
quarter to reduce the deficit to just four points with 10 minutes left
on the clock. However goals from Ger Robinson and Joe Sheridan clinched
Barry’s first success in charge of the Royal County.
Elsewhere almost 20,000 fans descended on Casement Park in Belfast last
Sunday to see All-Ireland football champions Tyrone defeat Ulster champions
Armagh in the semi-final of the Dr McKenna Cup. The All Ireland champions
prevailed by two points having lead for the vast majority of the match.
Man-of-the-match was Stephen O’Neill whose scores from play and
frees were a feature of the game as the All-Ireland champions enjoyed
a 0-8 to 0-4 interval lead.
The introduction of half-time substitutes Kevin Hughes and Gerard Cavlan
proved decisive. Hughes had the opening score of the half while Cavlan
brilliantly added Tyrone’s 11th point after Sean Cavanagh had scored
the preceding point. The O’Neill County withstood everything Joe
Kernan’s side could offer and deservedly qualified for the final
where they will meet Monaghan.
In Munster, Cork’s footballers secured the McGrath Cup after a surprisingly
easy but well-earned six-point victory of old rivals Kerry at Páirc
Uí Rinn on Sunday. The only goal of the game came in the first
half when Nicolas Murphy put Robert O’Mahony in for Cork’s
first score.
Kevin O’Sullivan, who hit five points in total, scored three times
in the opening half as Cork took a comfortable 1-5 to 0-2 lead in at the
interval. Although Kerry had the wind advantage in the second-half and
the exchanges were far closer, Cork never lost control to secure the first
Munster football trophy of the year.
New club Fulham Irish have finally been affiliated to the London GAA County
Board. A decision has yet to be made whether or nor they will compete
at junior or intermediate football championship level. Con Dee (Assistant
Secretary) and Tony O’Halloran (Youth Officer) have also filled
the remaining two posts in this year’s London GAA County Board.
|
