| SPORTBRIEFS Geraghty
may quit after Barry clash
The controversial and distinguished inter-county career of Meath’s
Graham Geraghty may be at an end after the Seneschalstown man clashed
with Royals manager Eamonn Barry following a challenge match. The match
was refereed by the same man who was at the centre of an incident which
saw Geraghty banned for a year in 2003. It is understood that Geraghty
and Barry clashed after a comment was made about the referee, and Geraghty
stormed off the panel, bringing the curtain down on an intercounty career
stretching back to 1990.
Cork hurling manager John Allen accepts the all-Ireland winners were
lucky to salvage a draw against Offaly in Birr.
“Perhaps we lacked a little match sharpness. I think a draw was
the best we could expect. We were lucky to get the second goal. We should
come on for the game though, and all credit to Offaly, who really showed
that hurling is alive and well in their county.” It needed a late
Timmy McCarthy point to achieve a draw for Cork, who were nearly full
strength.
Tipperary manager Babs Keating also claimed to be delighted, as the premier
county men drew with Limerick at the Gaelic grounds. “To be honest,
I didn’t think we would get anything from the game today with the
team we had and the amount of hurling Limerick have behind them. Some
of our players showed a little bit of inexperience, which hopefully wont
be there in a couple of months. Either way when the teams meet in the
championship in a couple of months it will be a completely different proposition.”
New Antrim hurling manager Jim McKernan has expressed his delight at
the Safrrons defeat of all-Ireland finalists Galway at the weekend.
The match marked the return to the Galway colours of Eugene Cloonan on
what looked a strong Galway side.
McKernan was therefore happy to get the win thanks to a late Joe McIntosh
goal. “The performance was excellent. Galway are an excellent team,
and after the traumas suffered by Antrim hurling in recent years. This
victory will be a big morale boost to players and management. I thought
my team were excellent all over the park, working hard for each other.”
Kilkenny’s newcomers came in for favourable praise from manager
Brian Cody after the National Hurling League victory over Laois.
“We are on a rebuilding programme and it was a first league outing
for many of the players, but we are pleased with the performance and the
result,” he said.
“What we have is a bunch of players dedicated to playing for Kilkenny,
who also have the skill to make an impact. We now face a huge test against
Tipperary next Sunday in Thurles, but it’s all about learning for
many of the players.”
New Laois boss Dinny Cahill admitted that the game was also a learning
process for his team.
“We opened well in both halves, but were unable to maintain the
pace. We have got to get the pace of our game up to the likes of Kilkenny
in order to compete.
Each game will be difficult, but we’ll look no further than our
next outing for the moment,” the Tipp native explained. |
