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Halifax and The Gaelic Players Association (GPA) have announced plans to expand the Halifax GPA Hurling Twinning programme for 2009 by increasing squad visits for the second year of the scheme. The 2009 Programme kicked off two weeks ago when Galway hurlers David Forde and David Collins paid their first visit to the hurlers of South Down (Non Ards).

The Twinning Programme, aimed at promoting hurling and fostering ambition in the non-traditional counties, will see counties from the Lory Meagher and Nicky Rackard Cups paired with their counterparts at McCarthy Cup level for the forthcoming season.

Under the scheme, players and/or coaches from the top hurling counties travel to the ‘twinned’ county to oversee a coaching session where advice, experience, tactics, training and coaching guidance are provided. The event is also publicised in the local media to help promote the game in the region.

Uptake for the inaugural year in 2008 exceeded expectations with eight squad visits taking place including high profile trips by hurlers from Kilkenny, Cork, Tipp, Waterford, Clare, Offaly Antrim and Wexford. This year, it is expected that two visits per squad will take place to further increase the benefits brought by the programme.

While the Rackard and Meagher panels will benefit directly from this link, it is hoped once again that, where possible, local coaches, schools and development squads in the region could also be included during the visits. Leveraging the talent and profile of the top hurling sides is seen as a very effective way to promote the game in the non-traditional hurling counties. The local media will be kept informed about all visits and developments.

Commenting on plans for the second year of the Twinning arrangements, GPA chief Dessie Farrell said: “The GPA was delighted with the response from hurlers to the programme last year, particularly so from the McCarthy squads who were more than willing to support the scheme. I know that top hurlers have been travelling voluntarily to the non-traditional counties for years – what we are trying to do is encourage more of that on a formal basis. There is a great sense of loyalty among the hurling community and thanks to the support of Halifax, we can help to promote the game locally and encourage more interaction between hurlers.”

Halifax have an ongoing commitment to developing Gaelic Games and its players at all levels through partnerships with the GPA and through Dermot McArdle’s GaelicPerformance camps as well as supporting clubs through several other local initiatives such as the Halifax Club Fair Play Award. Speaking at the announcement of the 2009 programme, Karl Manning, Director of Retail Sales at Halifax said, “The Hurling Twinning Programme is an extremely worthwhile initiative which Halifax is once again proud to be involved with. Credit is due to the GPA for overseeing the launch and growth of this scheme and also to the players who devoted their own free time last year and have committed to doing so again over the coming months.

“The passion of the players at all levels is the key to the success of the Hurling Twinning Programme and this will help fuel the sport amongst non-traditional counties. We have already seen that this programme works and if we can sustain this progress there will be a real and lasting impact on hurling at all levels.”

The scheme is part of the GPA’s on-going commitment to develop the game and is being organised on the ground by the GPA. Last year’s draw paired the following 24 counties together for an initial two-year cycle.

Monaghan & Tipperary
Cavan & Waterford
Louth & Clare
Tyrone & Limerick
Donegal & Kilkenny
Non Ards (Down) & Galway
Fermanagh & Cork
Fingal & Laois
Sligo & Offaly
Leitrim & Antrim
Longford & Wexford
Warwickshire & Dublin

Sources at the national broadcaster tell us that a potential new primetime show is in the offing. The Nation’s leading station, keen to rehabilitate itself after the disastrous GAA-phobic reaction to the Late Late Show Special last month, and ears stinging from their failure to broascast live coverage of the fireworks and light show from Croker last week have been giving serious consideration to a new series called Gerald and Ogie Pull Together.

Such was the impact made by Gerald McCarthy on the Marion Finucane show at the weekend, followed live on air by Donal Og Cusack’s unscheduled but explosive contribution live from the 2008 Squad’s Headquarters on the same show that the Mandarins in Donnybrook House think they may be on to a winner.

Said our source: “If we can get these two bollixes together in the studio it could be mighty altogether. Podge and Rodge meets the Road to Croker with balls if you like. They way they slag the f**k out of each other at the best of times, sure its great. Imagine if they got a few guests on the time they’d give them. If we could get them to say Camogs are just a bunch of big fat lezzer melders for example. We’ve already contacted Carol Thatcher’s agent to get her on to talk about the role of Golliwogs in the GAA. No-one would want to miss it.”

Watch this space and the TV scheduling pages.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqx0GzUOmEw[/youtube]

Former Cork hurling, Golden Boy Setanta O hAilpin may have badly blotted his copy book in Aussie eyes by punching teammate Cameron Cloke during an in camera training match.

But what really seems to have got those annoying Aussies hot and bothered was Setanta’s coup de grace – the dismissive and peremptory boot up the unfortunate victim’s hole he delivered which put an emphatic full stop to the entire contretemps.

Australians, well known for their self-righteous self-aggrandizing approach to sport, are the same race of sportspeople that thought it was a good day’s work to bounce Graham Geraghty’s head and neck off the Croker Pitch during the International Rules series. These are the guys who thought it was all in a game of footie when Chris Johnston wrote off both Philip Jordan and Mattie Forde during the test in 2005 in Melbourne. These are the good old boys that called respected Irish manager Sean Boylan a leprechaun. One of the guys that suggested Setanta leave the pitch was Brendan Fevola, sent home from Ireland during the Aussie’s tour for getting a hapless Galway barman in a headlock when he was lookin’ more porter. Kettle and Pot black or what?

So Setanta bursted some hoor in a training game – big deal. But did it justify the bout of career-overy and volatile temperamental ‘curling’ star shite that we’ve had to read about? Any lads that wear sleeveless shirts and shorts so tight you can nearly count the hairs should be treated with utter suspicion as far as Talking Balls is concerned.

As for Setanta? Talking Balls hopes he comes home pronto and leathers both Frank Murphy and Gerald McCarthy right in the buttocks. Might be the only way to sort out the Cork hurling mess.

Regular readers of Talking Balls, if such a person exists, will remember the Hullaballoo when Tyrone became the latest British team to win the All Ireland series. Gregory Campbell, a self confessed Raoinithe Glaschú fanatic commended their achievement in beating a team from another country in the Final. Cue statements of outrage from Gaels the length and breadth of Gaeldom. Yes, regrettably instead of recognising the unmistakeable sound of wind breaking loudly from a horse’s ass, fellow men and women in the Association were insulted by this moronic and retentive outburst from a usual suspect.

Gregory brough further attention to himself in the way only he can by dragging his heels in a fashion that is unusual for a man that can march in step and on time on every other occasion, when he took his time offering the Tyrone Minors and Seniors a reception at Stormont. Eye-witness reports from Friday’s event suggest that the delay could have been due to the long time it took to come up with a satisfactory room layout that meant those two Prods Sam Maguire and Gregory Campbell couldn’t be photographed together. Well according to the Irish News that is. (And in case you don’t know, as far as Talking Balls is concerned if its in the Irish News its true, except for that oul folksy shite Paddy Heaney makes up about growing up round Maghera. Aye right Paddy!)

Anyhow, making a truth of the maxim that there isn’t much distance between a pat on the back and a kick up the arse, Gregory was quick off the mark dishing out the compliments: A deir sé:

“Progress has been made and leadership has been demonstrated. However, my views and the views of many are that further action needs be seen to be taken if the GAA is to position itself to play an even greater role in helping to improve community relations.”

He referred in particular to “significant rule changes” that allowed members of the police and the British armed forces to play its games.

“I would encourage the GAA along with the other sporting bodies in Northern Ireland to continue the good work which they all have commenced and I want to see sport recognised for what it is, without any connotations or linkages that have been perceived to be a cause of division in the past.”

Talking Balls assumes then that Gregory will also be using his good offices to ask that team with strong ‘Ulster’ connections, Raoinithe Glaschú to desist with their Oul-Come-All-Ye’s about being up to their necks in fenian blood with the same po-faced enthusiasm he has for ‘encouraging’ the likes of the GAA in their work.

Taking a leaf from that great Derry singer D:Ream, Mickey Harte was heard to say: “Things can only get better.”

For most of the great unwashed, and yes that’s you, the smelly hoors that loiter around on terraces and hang over the wire ’supporting’ your team, gaelic football is a simple game.Yes, some big lad grabs houl of the ball out i lár na páirce and sets off karooming through a few late and maybe high tackles. After the obligatory solo he f***in lorries her in to the nippy wee corner forward/bustling full forward (delete as approrpriate) who proceeds to kick her wide/over the bar/into the goals (delete as appropriate). The keeper then restarts the game with a booming kickout that results in a fine example of high fielding or a breaking ball. Either way the craic starts when the ball comes back to earth, the bottom feeder takes a hand in affairs, gives it on to some other bollix and he lorries her in again to the inside men as before. Simple as that?

Not if your name is John Beefy Morrison. John of course is beating a trail up and down the road to lovely Leitrim along with his co accused Micky Moran. Him and Micky are single handedly driving up tourist visitor numbers to John McGahern’s lovely home county (you can just see the visitor figures for ‘repeat visits’ showing a sharp spike at the end of year presentation to the County Auditors “Leitrim – Ireland’s Tourism Success Story!”). Of course Beefy has to ensure that Coiste Chontae Liatroim get their full value so he takes every opportunity to blind them with science. Sez Beefy after their match against London:

“I looked at the stats in the first-half which showed we had 16 frees to six in favour of us plus we also had more possession in midfield against the wind and our scoring ratio was better in just 14 attacks.”

Just in case you’re wondering, Leitrim won the match. But as the great Homer Simpson memorably said: “Doh, people can come up with statistics to prove anything. 14% of people know that.”

The lovely people of Leitrim are certainly getting their money’s worth here (not that we’re suggesting managers are paid or anything like that).

The question is whether Beefy is part of the lucky fourteen or not?

BY JACKIE CAHILL

DEFENDING champions Cork picked up where they left off last year as they opened the defence of their Bord Gáis Energy National Ladies Football League crown with a comprehensive 2-12 to 0-4 victory against outclassed Kildare yesterday.

The Rebelettes, All-Ireland champions for the last four seasons, were in devastating form at Cork IT and the game was effectively over at half-time as Cork led by 2-6 to 0-1. Lethal forwards Valerie Mulcahy and Mary O’Connor supplied the first half goals and while the Lilywhites made more of a game of it in the second half, this was the best possible start to the new season.

Elsewhere, last year’s beaten finalists Kerry earned a hard-fought 2-6 to 1-6 victory against hosts Armagh at Killeavey. Armagh led by 0-5 to 0-4 at half-time but goals from Linda Cronin and Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh turned the game in favour of the Kingdom as the visitors moved 2-6 to 0-5 in front with ten minutes remaining. Substitute Kelly Mallon brought Armagh back into the game with a goal, followed by by an Aileen Matthews point, but Kerry held on for the opening day win.

Meanwhile, there was a dramatic finish in Killanin as hosts Galway were defeated 1-9 to 1-6 by Clare. The game was heading for stalemate before Clare’s Louise Henchy stole the points, netting with the last kick of the game to secure a dramatic win for the Banner County. The sides were level at 1-3 to 0-6 at half-time as Sarah Burke supplied Galway’s first half goal.

Tyrone proved Mayo’s bogey once again as the influential Gemma Begley hit 0-5 for the Red Hands in their 1-9 to 1-7 victory at Trillick.
Tyrone led by 1-5 to 0-4 at half-time as Dearbhla McCallan pounced for a 7th minute goal. Four minutes after half-time, Mayo star Cora Staunton, who finished with 1-5, scored a deflected goal to haul the Westerners right back into contention but Tyrone held out for a notable victory.

Dublin showed that they could be a real force to be reckoned with in the coming season as they shocked last year’s beaten All-Ireland finalists Monaghan on a 4-7 to 1-7 scoreline. Niamh Hurley scored 2-2 for the Sky Blues while Sinéad Ahern and Lindsey Davey supplied the other goals for the winners, who led by 1-5 to 0-2 at half-time.

Edel Byrne scored a second half goal for Monaghan which proved merely a consolation as the metropolitans laid down an early marker.

And Laois went goal-crazy against hapless Donegal at Mountmellick en route to a facile 7-12 to 1-5 win. The O’Moore girls led by 4-5 to 1-3 at half-time and never took their foot off the gas in the second half as Tracey Lawlor finished as top scorer with 2-4. Aileen O’Loughlin and Áine Quigley helped themselves to a brace of goals each and Martina Kirwan weighed in with 1-3 as Nora Stapleton replied with Donegal’s goal.

***
Results:

Bord Gáis Energy Division 1

Armagh 1-6 Kerry 2-6
Laois 7-12 Donegal 1-5
Tyrone 1-9 Mayo 1-7
Cork 2-12 Kildare 0-4
Monaghan 1-7 Dublin 4-7
Galway 1-6 Clare 1-9

Bord Gáis Energy Division 2:

Sligo 4-14 Leitrim 0-5
Wexford 3-6 Waterford 3-9
Cavan 0-10 Fermanagh 1-6

*****

Division 1 scorers:

Scorers for Kerry: L Cronin 1-1, L Ní Mhuircheartaigh 1-0, P Dennehy 0-3, D Murphy 0-1, S Houlihan 0-1.

Scorers for Armagh: K Mallon 1-0, A Matthews 0-3, S O’Hagan 0-2, M McAlinden 0-1.

***

Galway scorers: S Burke 1-1, U Carroll 0-2, L Cohill 0-1, H McHugh 0-1, M Murray 0-1.

Clare: L Henchy 1-3, A Kelly 0-3 (2f), M Considine 0-2 (1f), D Troy 0-1.

***

Laois scorers: T Lawlor 2-4, A O’Loughlin 2-1, M Kirwan 1-3, A Quigley 2-0, N Kirwan 0-4.

Donegal scorers: N Stapleton 1-1, N Doherty 0-2, N Hegarty 0-2.

***

Dublin scorers: N Hurley 2-2, S Ahern 1-3, L Davey 1-0, A-Marie Murphy 0-1, M Nevin 0-1.

Monaghan scorers: E Byrne 1-1, C McAnespie 0-2, N Kindlon 0-2, A McAnespie 0-1, T McNally 0-1.

***

Cork scorers: V Mulcahy 1-3, M O’Connor 1-2, N Cleary 0-2, A O’Shea 0-2, D O’Reilly 0-1, C O’Sullivan 0-1, J Murphy 0-1.

Kildare scorer: A Jennings 0-4.

***
Tyrone scorers: G Begley 0-5 D McCallan 1-1, C McGahan 0-1, L McGreesh 0-1, C Donnelly 0-1.

Mayo scorers: C Staunton 1-5, L Cafferkey 0-1, A Herbert 0-1.

ends