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MUNSTER turned the tables on Connacht in yesterday’s Gael Linn inter-provincial senior camogie final with the adverse weather playing havoc with proceedings, delaying the start of the matches throughout the afternoon in Donaghmore Ashbourne GAA grounds. However, it didn’t deter the Munster side from battling back from an earlier defeat to the westerns in the round-robin series.
Munster triumphed in the final 0-7 to 0-2 – the hard work completed in the opening half having played against the wind 0-4 to 0-1, as Orla Cotter hit three important points.

In the group series, Connacht represented by the Galway panel and managed by former county hurler Liam Donoghue, managed to win both their matches but came up short in the decider.

Because of Ulster’s withdrawal this year, the games were played in a blitz format with games 15 minutes a half. It was clear from Connacht’s opening narrow one-point win over Leinster, 2-3 to 0-8 that they were not going to relinquish their title too easily.

This encounter saw Galway star Veronica Curtin return to competitive action and her goals were a major factor, with Wexford’s Kate Kelly chipping in with five points.

In the second match Connacht chalked up a noteworthy victory over a strong Munster side, 5-3 to 0-4. Green flags from Curtin lining out at corner forward, Brenda Hanney, Brenda Kerins, Therese Maher and Ann Marie Hayes was the main difference. Claire Grogan bagged three points for Munster.

So, with Connacht safely through to the decider, the opposition would come from the last match between Leinster and Munster with Munster braving the elements and their battling qualities shining through to advance on a hard-earned 2-2 to 0-2 score line. Clare’s Carina Roseingrave and Emily Hayden from Tipperary the goal-getters.

The junior final also involved Connacht and Munster with Connacht running out victors 4-4 to -0-2 – the Munster side got to the final on scoring difference following their draw with Leinster in the group section. Niamh McGrath and Molly Dunne netted first half goals, while Roscommon’s Annette McGeeney and Stacey Coen grabbed majors in the second half to seal the win.

By Cliona Foley
Irish Independent, 14 May, 2009

A LEADING Wicklow official has suggested that despite one player being brought directly from the field of play to hospital by ambulance, and seven more being sent off, the two clubs involved in a shocking row may yet escape any further sanctions.

Two ambulances were called to the pitch and there was a lengthy delay while a Stratford player was treated on the ground before being taken directly to hospital.

He was released the next day and his club would make no comment yesterday on any aspect of their senior football league match with Rathnew last Saturday that was marred by the brawl.
Wicklow County Board Chairman Andrew O’Brien commented yesterday that he was satisfied that “both clubs were totally compliant (after the melee) and the referee was totally in control”.
In the shocking outburst of violence, fighting spread down the pitch for several minutes with up to 20 players allegedly involved.

A player from Rathnew is also reported to have lost two teeth as a result. When the row was finally quelled three player from Stratford and two from Rathnew were reported lying on the ground and the referee, who had earlier dismissed a Rathnew player, then sent off three men from each side.

O’Brien indicated that the local Competitions Control Committee will act on the recommendations of referees Eddie Leonard’s report but his comments indicated that the board may yet opt to take no further action.

“We’ll see what the referee’s report says but those cards were issued and they will be dealt with by the CCC,” said O’Brien. “I don’t’ know what else took place but from what I hear the referee received no interference from either clubs’ officials or management in his decision to play the rest of the match and everything that went on was totally on the field of play.

“Both clubs were totally compliant in that and the referee was totally in control,” O’Brien added.
County Boards do have the option of instigating their own investigation into a serious breach of indiscipline, especially if they feel there were serious incidents that were not adequately covered by a referee’s report.

Wicklow County Board have worked hard in recent years to try to erase the county of its reputation for indiscipline and previously came down hard on clubs as well as players.

In 2004, after a two-month investigation into incidents which marred their county senior hurling final, two Glenealy hurlers were suspended for two years while several others got one-year bans.
Each club was also fined €2,000 each and lost home advantage for any subsequent meetings over the next two years in what was a very strong message about discipline from the board.

Two years later they had to instigate another probe following violent scenes after an IHC hurling semi-final when a Glenealy hurler alleged he was bitten on the chest and threatened with having his house burnt down, and a photographer was also threatened.

Lá na gClub: the aftermath of the Stratford v Rathnew football match

According the Irish Times (and we believe them unless this is an April Fools story that was published today by accident), six players were dismissed on red cards following a row between players from two Wicklow clubs Stratford and Rathnew 10 minutes from the end of their senior league clash on Saturday evening.

One Stratford player ended up in hospital after being knocked out while a player from Rathnew lost two teeth. When the fighting ended, three players from Stratford and two more from Rathnew were lying on the ground unconscious.

The game was held up for 25 minutes and before restarting. Stratford eventually won by 1-13 to 0-9.

We look forward to the deliberations of the Wicklow CCC, the disgust of the Powers That Be, and the excuses, the appeals, the counter-appeals and the visit to the DRA. 125 Years young and still capable of getting the blood pumping. Sure you couldn’t beat it with a big stick.

TESCO - Helping the GAA, every day?

In an amazing turn of events – we believe British multiple TESCO is set to offer fifty per cent discount to GAA members in recognition of the GAA 125 Anniversary.

TESCO, has had to perform the remarkable about turn, following their disgraceful decision to ban young GAA members in Antrim from wearing their club colours during a bag packing session. It is understood senior GAA figures were involved in high level discussions.

The club members form the St Comgall’s club in Antrim were asked to refrain from wearing their club jerseys during the fundraiser, as it allegedly caused offence to local members of the Official Unionist/Conservative party and other bigoted members of the public.

Allegedly the volume of complaints led the duty manager to abandon protocol and ask the club to remove the ‘offensive jerseys.’ The nine-year-old children involved in the bagpack had no option but to comply, such was the offensive nature of their provocative behaviour. In their Solomon-like wisdom, and instead of standing up to the bigots, TESCO initially put profit ahead of any sense of Corporate Social Responsibility. They subsequently banned ANY bag packers from wearing their club shirts. Whether collectors for one organisation can display the shirts of another organisation is unclear.

However, Talking Balls believes that TESCO will perform an unexpected about turn. In recognition of the error of their ways, and in the face of a boycott by hundreds and thousands of GAA fans we believe they are likely to state that in recognition of the GAA’s 125 Anniversary, and in cognisence of La na cGlub, they have made a sensational offer.

We believe that for the entire month of May, TESCO will offer any shopper wearing a GAA top a fifty per cent discount on their shopping bill. A source said: “We got this one badly wrong. We are always talking about our service to the community and our computers for schools and so on. This is our way of giving something back to the people that we have so grossly offended with our narrow-minded attitude.”

To redeem your fifty per cent, all you have to do is wear your GAA shirt with pride in your local TESCO store; fill your shopping trolley and ask to see the manager of the store. Simply tell him/her you are a member of the GAA and you’re here to get your TESCO ANTI-BIGOTRY DISCOUNT.

Sure if it doesn’t work, every little helps and every bigot helps. They’ll get the message.

The view ahead isn't great if the empty seats aren't filled

The recent decision by the GAA authorities to reduce ticket prices by five Euro per ticket was, how shall we put it, a bit miserly to say the least. Especially given the economic situation which we find ourselves in. In practical terms five euro would buy you nothing more than a burger and drink or a programme. Given the enhanced marketing nous within the GAA with Directors Of Communication in post, commercial departments and media liaisons officers, do they really think that what amounts to a free programme is going to entice supporters from far flung parts of Ireland to Croke Park.

At Talking Balls we believe that the GAA has no problem with its product but that it needs to look at the way it is marketed. Whether this is ticket reductions to entice fans off their backsides, away from the television and into a ground or whatever, these things need to be looked at. Already Munster have revealed they will be freezing ticket prices from last year.

Croke Park looked and sounded half empty for the national league final. The lack of atmosphere in the stands was topped only by the indifferent fare on show on the field. Likewise a Talking Balls associate went on a pilgrimage to watch his native Antrim in Longford. Whoever dreamed up the location, and more importantly the throw in times obviously didn’t pay much heed to the time of year. By all accounts Down and Tipperary would have needed night vision goggles had the game gone to a further period of extra time and not been settled by a late score.

Christy Cooney, who has made a promising start to his Uachtaranship seems to be a little out of touch when he said: “Prices are there but let’s see. We’re not going to make a judgement call today as to what we’re going to do. We’ll always look at what’s right. We’re conscious of our supporters. They were fabulous throughout the National League and we reduced our prices for the National Football League final in recognition of the support we got.”

He also said he would monitor the situation. Well, we’ll all do our bit to go to the games but let’s hope the PTB do their bit to meet us part way along the road.

Under new regulations the pre match huddle may be banned due to too much slabber

Flu viruses are made up of tiny particles that can be spread through the stuff that comes out of your nose and mouth when you cough, sneeze, roar abuse, expectorate, place a finger on one nostril and blast mucous forcibly out the other nostril (as for example is often seen during a match), pick your nose and so on and so forth.

When you cough or sneeze you should cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. When on the playing field we would ask you to avoid spitting. Instead please sluice out our mouth in an appropriate way and spit the liquid out, facing away from an opponent. Be careful not to suck on items that may be subsequently sucked upon by others. This includes water bottles. You should also be careful when hurling that mucous or other droplets do not adhere to your helmet faceguard. This can prove a heath risk. It also looks terrible.

You should also be careful if you cough or sneeze into your own hand or someone else’s hand. Germs can be passed on from the hand, via footballs, sliotars, hurling sticks and other GAA regalia. If you touch these sorts of surfaces please ensure you wipe them clean. In fact wiping yourself clean is in general a good start on the road to cleanliness, which itself is next to godliness.

You are also asked to avoid roaring at the referee especially if you are prone to saliva foaming, dripping or flying out of your mouth in anger (take note over enthusiastic club secretaries.) Likewise referees are asked to refrain from sharing whistles and other items that they may blow or have oral contact with.

We have also been asked to point out that excessive slabbering at committee meetings can also help distribute swine flu and other mutations such as horses ass flu and bullshit flu. If a member on your committee slabbers too much, tell him to do his bit for the country and shut his mouth. That will do us all a favour.

END OF ANNOUNCEMENT

Players bouncing at suggestions the grants may be abolished

Minister Cullen said “The taxpayer cannot continue to pick up the entire cost of this scheme in drastically changed economic circumstances. I am trying to be fair and I am not saying ‘no.’ However, I am clearly signalling that the resources required to continue the scheme at the level previously anticipated are not there.” Yes, he means no, he means yes, he means no, I mean yes. Or does he?

This news comes on the back of a variety of other striking schemes that the taxpayer has underwritten for example the recent bailing out of the banks. Now, what gives you more craic? Attending a GAA match or visiting your local branch to have some officious official deal with you as if you were asking them to prise open their own wallet. That experience is certainly worse than trying to get the club secretary to buy into a new idea at a committee meeting, but it comes nowhere the excitement of a match.

Minister Cullen’s backtracking comments come in the knowledge that the GAA only signed up to the programme on the understanding it wouldn’t have to contribute financially. Likewise the dreaded GPA has already indicated it is willing to accept a reduction in the amount of cash offered.

A statement from Croker noted that the Government itself had put the scheme in place to recognise the contribution of inter-county GAA players to Irish sport as they do not benefit from tax relief which is available for other sports people.”

As the famous American Rounders player Luther King-Martin said, the government were signing a promissory note to which every player was to fall heir. Will they honour the cheque or let it bounce all the way to Croker? Time will tell.

Henry, a blow to the groin, pulling off the ball. All part of the job.

Well, according to Kilkenny selector Martin Fogarty, Henry Shefflin “received a blow to the groin area”, adding that his injury would be monitored. If that’s the sort of thing that’s going on out on a hurling pitch these days, it’s certainly worth getting a look at the video evidence.

One source told Talking Balls: ‘Some of these things aren’t the sort of things you would expect to see in a hurling match. There’s families present for God’s sake.”

Looks like new CCCC Chairman Seamy Woods will have his work cut out for him if these are the sort of X-Rated video nasties he has to review.

Fogarty also explained how Brian Hogan received his injury: “Brian was going down for the ball, off-guard a bit, and got a shot. That’s how these things happen.”

Also of note, Cats captain Micheal Fennelly was a late withdrawal from their team after becoming the latest inter-county player to be hit by the extremely virulent strain of mumps to hit the country this year.

Talking Balls readers should be on alert and keep a look out for the symptoms of mumps especially with all the health alerts going about at the minute. One symptom for example is Orchitis, which is a painful inflammation of the testicle.

Talking Balls is unaware of inflammations of the testicle that wouldn’t be painful, but then we’re not doctors. Anyhow, if it’s not mumps, it’s swine flu. Whatever next?

Impassive, Justin waits for the call. Are Down hurlers coming or not?

We suppose Ballycastle was maybe a narrow second choice after La Manga or some such other warm weather retreat. The Limerick Leader described the North Antrim towns as small and rural situated on the most north-easterly tip of County Antrim. Justin has of course great links with the Glensmen having coached them to intermediate All Ireland titles back in the days before helmets were invented.

The thirty three man squad was accompanied by the county Chairman and Treasurer, presumably to keep a recession-beaten eye on preparations.

We would say then that Justin and his colleagues were not best impressed then when it emerged that Down couldn’t field a team for their match, leading their manager Jim McKernan to apologise to Justin and the Ballycastle hosts. He is now dealing with the matter ‘internally’ whatever that means.

Talking Balls reckons that there’s not much point Ulster teams, or any teams for that matter, bleating about the standard of opposition they face and the lack of good quality opposition when they can’t round up enough of a squad to play the likes of Limerick. Sounds like ideal preparation for their opening Christy Ring game with rivals Derry. Also sounds like we’re a long way form the glory days when Down competed in All Ireland semi finals in Croke Park.