‘Death of dual player’ is down to qualifiers, says Collins

By Declan Rooney Clare football manager Colm Collins has lamented ‘the death of the dual player’, which he says has come about due to the fixture congestion brought on by the qualifier system. Collins’ son Podge played both inter-county football and hurling for the Banner County  last year, but has decider to focus solely on…

Galvin set for Oliver Plunkett’s switch

Former Kerry star Paul Galvin is set to transfer from Kilmacud Crokes to fellow Dublin outfit St Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh next month. The 2009 ‘Footballer of the Year’, whom has won three All-Ireland SFC titles during his inter-county career with Kerry, transferred from Lixnaw to Crokes back in May to play hurling in the capital…

A club team made up of one family?

There are many GAA clubs around the country that boast teams with multiple siblings and cousins. We’ve all heard about the Ó Sé’s (An Ghaeltacht, Kerry), the Fennelly’s (Ballyhale Shamrocks, Kilkenny), the McGrath’s (Loughmore-Castleiney, Tipperary) and the Jacob’s (Oulart-the Ballagh, Wexford) who have all backboned their respective clubs for decades. But has a club ever…

Sice criticises Mulholland’s reign

Gary Sice reckons the Galway management team under Alan Mulholland’s rule failed to “equip” the players properly. Mulholland took charge of the Tribesmen from 2012 to 2014 following the county’s U21 All-Ireland success from the previous season, reached just one Connacht SFC final which saw his team lose out to Mayo by seven points. “They…

GAA release papers under thirty-year rule

A new initiative from the GAA Library and Archive sees the publication of details from the GAA’s Central Council Minute Books of 1986 which have just been released under a thirty-year rule. A selection of headline issues from the GAA’s 1986 Minute Books are listed below. All-Ireland Hurling and Football Championships On the fields, 1986…

McEntee drafts in Dublin duo

New Meath boss Andy McEntee has brought in Ballyboden St Enda’s defender Stephen O’Connor and former Dublin player Stuart Lowndes to his pre-season squad. O’Connor lined out at right half-back in Ballyboden’s All-Ireland club SFC win under McEntee last year and scored a point in what was a historic victory over Castlebar Mitchel’s at Croke…

Kilbride calls it a day from Roscommon duty

Star Roscommon forward Senan Kilbride has announced his decision to retire from inter-county football today. The St Brigid’s clubman, who has won four Connacht club SFC titles, made his championship for the Rossies back in 2008 and lined-out at full forward in their Connacht SFC final replay defeat to Galway back in July. The 31-year-old missed his county’s…

Tipp legend re-joins Kerry management

Former Tipperary goalkeeper Brendan Cummins has been appointed Kerry senior hurling trainer for the coming year. Cummins has been included in the new management team after Fintan O’Connor was appointed manager last week. The former Waterford selector replaces Ciaran Carey as manager after the ex-Limerick star cited work commitments as the reason for stepping down. Cummins…

Limerick duo opt for hurling in 2017

There will be no dual players on Limerick’s senior teams in 2017. That is following the news that the only dual players on the county squads, Gearoid Hegarty and Stephen Cahill have opted to throw in their lot with the hurling squad. This is a boost for manager John Kiely, while his football counterpart Billy…

Loughlin added to Westmeath squad for new season.

New York star Luke Loughlin has returned home and has been included in the Westmeath senior football squad for 2017. Loughlin was part of the Westmeath minor side that reached the Leinster final in 2013, before heading to the states. The Downs clubman scored three points and generally tormented the Roscommon defence as New York…