Squareball, gaa shop, gaa gear, gaa tshirts, clothing, merchandise.

KILKENNY got the tonic start to the Gala All Ireland senior camogie championship that manager Ann Downey was looking for. Despite numerous recent underage successes for the Cats, the former All Ireland medal winner said when you win a few U16 and minor titles people expect you to be able to do the same at senior level, but it takes a while.

And now that they have kick-started their season with a merited 1-14 to 1-11 victory over Tipperary at Semple Stadium on Saturday, she says it will do their confidence the world of good.

“Kilkenny haven’t competed at senior for a long time. They’ll believe they can compete now. Beating Tipperary will bring us on a lot. The fear is gone. We just needed to make the breakthrough. And to keep our heads above water would be brilliant. This is a monkey off our backs. The girls will be able to believe in their own ability. Today they stepped up to the plate.

“They battled so hard especially after the hammering Tipperary gave us in the league. They deserve their hour. You have Aisling Dunphy in the half forward line – she is just out of under 16. They do everything I ask of them, even trained right through the June bank holiday weekend.”

Michelle Quilty powered Kilkenny ahead with a 34th minute goal after leading at the interval 0-7 to 0-4. Jacquie Frisby was outstanding in defence, as was captain Anne Dalton and Colette Dormer in the middle of the field. Aoife Neary returned nine points while Tipperary struggled to stay in touch. Claire Grogan notched 1-7 for the Premier Girls – the goal from a penalty a few minutes from the end.

Elsewhere, last season’s finalists Galway served notice they will be stiff opposition for any team, with their emphatic 3-17 to 1-4 triumph over neighbours Clare at Kenny Park, Athenry. The Banner girls – promoted to senior this year – stayed with the Maroon and White in the opening half trailing at the break 1-5 to 1-3, but when Veronica Curtin turned on the style with 2-4 along with Aislinn Connolly’s 1-8, there was no stopping the westerners. Carina Roseingrave recorded the Clare goal.

By Niamh Archibald

Derry was in impressive form at Naomh Peregrine on Saturday as they saw off National League Division 2 champions Wexford in the Gala Intermediate Championship ‘McGrath Cup’.

Despite running out eight point victors Derry were pushed all the way by a determined Wexford side. It was Wexford who started the brighter of the two sides scoring two goals after taking advantage of confusion in the Derry defence. Derry however, hit back with two goals from Katie McAuley and fought back to leave two between the sides at the interval.

Although manager Danny McGrellis was more than happy with the result and performance of his players he admitted that there was still room for improvement.

“I’m very pleased with the performance as we recorded a victory when in truth we were probably playing at 80 per cent of our ability. The lack of competitive matches probably showed in the first-half but as the game went on we grew in confidence and began to dominant the game. The girl’s showed a lot of character to come from behind and win the game.

“It was a strange game because we were always in control but failed to tale our chances in the first 15 minutes but the second was a more accurate reflection of the game. Our midfield began to come out on top, the defence began to dominate the forwards took their scores but also made it difficult for the Wexford defence to clear the ball.”

The Derry side featured some new players and while McGrellis was keen to praise them it stressed that it was difficult for all his players, saying: “Not knowing what to expect is always frightening but the girls dealt with it extremely well. Aileen (McCusker) and the other girls are very good players and good players can play well any day regardless of the occasion. No matter how many championship matches you’ve played the first one is always the hardest and conditions made it even harder for the girls. It was such a warm day and some of the girls found it hard to catch their breath.”

With the Ulster Final now less than a week away McGrellis believes that Saturday’s victory sets his side up nicely to take on the current Ulster Champions Antrim.

“Saturday’s win will certainly give us a boost going into next weekend’s clash with Antrim, we know it won’t be an easy game Antrim are always tough opposition. They would be seen as the favourites being the holders and they will be looking to retain that crown and won’t give it up easily. They had a better League campaign than us reaching the Final, they also had a convincing win over Armagh in the Ulster Semi-Final whereas we struggled past Down,” added McGrellis.

In the Gala Junior Championship ‘Nancy Murray Cup’ Armagh suffered a four point defeat at the hands of Roscommon.

The Orchard County put in a fine performance leading by five points at half-time, 2-10 vs 2-5. Armagh failed to dominate the play, allowing Roscommon back into the game and despite making a mini-comeback with ten minutes left on the clock could not get back on level terms.

“It was a great team performance. We played very well in the first-half but let it slip in the second half for about 20 minutes and that’s when Roscommon did the damage. We can’t dwell on it too much as we play Tyrone on Tuesday, so we’ll take the positives and move on,” said Armagh manager Patsy McGee.

Results:
Gala Intermediate Championship ‘McGrath Cup’: Derry 3-11 vs 2-6 Wexford
Gala Junior Championship ‘Nancy Murray Cup’: Roscommon 4-12 vs 3-11 Armagh

It’s the height of the provincial championship, the weather’s taken a turn for the better. Something to look forward to every Sunday, but there’s no f****n matches.

Nothing, cos the GPA have take all the county squads out on strike over the removal of the Players Grant Scheme. An empty Croke Park in successive August Sundays, could the GAA sustain it, would the association ever recover? What would we do all summer? That’s the apocalyptic spectre that has raised its head this last week.

Sports Minister Brian Cullen certainly knows how to jerk the GPA’s chain. Speaking last week he suggested that government didn’t have the money to fund the controversial Players Grant Scheme. Then, in Croker the very next day, he appeared to do a major U-turn.

Tyrone’s Sean Cavanagh secretary of the GPA sez, this hokey kokey ain’t what it’s all about Mr Cullen, and he’s suggested that some sort of action may be on the cards if the Grants scheme is scrapped, particularly at a time when according to him, up to nine of the current Tyrone panel are out of work. This situation is replicated across the country.

Says Cavanagh: “I would imagine if GAA grants are completely thrown out there would be some course of action maybe down the line. On what that might be, I’m not too sure. Any players I’ve been speaking to, and any feedback I’ve been having from the GPA, is that something would be considered. They have been speaking with players from all different counties and they would be extremely angry if the grants were thrown out the window.”

Sean went on to say: “Over the last couple of years some of the public have been a bit more understanding towards the GPA. They realise not everyone in the GPA is looking for pay for play.”

Cavanagh and Cullen and indeed the dreaded Dessie would do well to look at what happened to baseball in the US when the players went on strike in 1995. It lasted 232 days, destroyed an entire season, and was only resolved through an injunction by Federal Judge Sonia Sotomayer who ruled against the owners. Even the President Bill Clinton, who in between having his cigar smoked by Monica Lewinsky, intervened and ordered the players and the employers to sort it out. They ignored him. The fall out still rumbles on in Baseball in much the same way as the post Civil War Divisions in Ireland rumbled on for decades.

Cavanagh says: “In the present economic climate – and the way an awful lot of guys playing GAA and spending their weekends away at training camps and not allowing them to have weekend or part-time work in the evenings – I would hope people would be a bit more understanding about the way things are than they would have been three or four years ago.”

People may be understanding, they also are getting it tight. Might not just be the best time to go on strike Sean if you’re reading. You heard it here first. Incidentally Sotomayer has just been appointed to the US Supreme Court by Barack (Ignorant Fecker From) Obama.

So. Derry football is in disarray is it? Roundly beaten by the dreaded neighbours from south of the Sperrins live on national television. Missing a number of senior players. James Conway of Ballinderry suspended for two months for disruptive behaviour whatever that is these days and then gets off cos no-one seen nothin’. Ballinderry are suspended from the Derry league and Championship because no-one in the club, players, officials, saw what happened when Conway’s Derry team mate Kielt had his jaw broken in an off the ball incident in the Ballinderry v Kilrea game.

This is Derry where the suspensions arising from last year’s county final quietly slipped off the record books on something called a mercy appeal. Despite the presence of up to twenty or more subs from each team on the sideline with all the mayhem that caused at half time and all the post match handbags, it’s as if nothin’ ever happened. In fact maybe it didn’t. Maybe we all dreamt it. Seems like the Derry Disciplinary guys have had enough and can you blame them?

So what goes on inside these disciplinary hearings? Well, we can let you into a secret. There’s special electromagnetic pulses on the doors into Owenbeg, the County’s headquarters at Dungiven. This means that anyone going in for a disciplinary hearing has their memory wiped cleaned whether they like it or not. That and all sense of rational thought. After all, these proceedings and the chance of getting off brings a cavalier attitude and a lightness of step round the law that you can but marvel at. We have compiled the following from hearings round the country, these aren’t exclusive to the Oak Leafers we might add:

“Saw nathin Sur, I was twenty yards away from him but he just dropped to the ground like a stone houlin’ the back of his head. I thought maybe he was hit with a hailstone or somethin’.”

“Our club saw nothing. We have carried out an in depth and far ranging investigation, we involved the police ombudsman, Fr Alec Reid, and George Mitchell. No-one seen anything. Dunno what happened at all. Very strange.”

“Mebbe he hit himself. . . well Jazus I was at the game and I seen nothing, neither did me ma and she’s a great one for off-the-ball incidents.”

‘No-one from our club kicked a ball at anyone Mister. We were all kickin’ in to the goal mindin’ our own business. This oul boy came over to tell us to move on, sure how was I to know he was the county chairman? Anyway, my ma toul us to have nothing to do with fellas from Bellaghy.”

“I consider the allegation that I started a melee in the crowd a grievous insult and slur on my good name and reputation and I’ll be consulting my solicitor. I have trained the Under 12s for seventeen years, been on the club committee for fourteen of those years, the other years I was out of fudball but that was the other fella’s fault. I have been clubman of the year twice and nominated for awards at county and provincial level.”

“Yes, I started the melee, a man shouldn’ have to stand there and listen to his son bein’ called a useless hoor by some boy. Hoors themselves. Suspend me, and I’ll tell you I’ll walk away from the GAA. The hours I put in, you boys should be grateful for boys like me. We are the GAA, not yous boys on committees like this, never kicked a fudball in yer life. Should be ashamed of yourselves, nothin’ better to do?”

Indeed they don’t.

Editor’s Note: Any similarities to individuals involved in the GAA living or dead are purely intentional.

GAA fans north and south are utterly distraught and inconsolable at the news that Stormont’s new Minister for the bits of Culture, Arts and Leisure that suit him, Nelson ‘what a column’ McCausland will not be attending GAA matches on the Sunday due to his Lord’s Day Observance Beliefs, nor in grounds named after Irish republicans. Looks like an under 8 camogie match in Falls Park is his best bet then.

Obersturmfuhrer McCausland is understood to be happy to continue to take his seat in the big welcoming edifice called Stormont, itself synonymous with freedom and civil rights over the decades. He will work behind the statue of the Dublin Gun Runner Edward Carson, who you will recall, threatened the British state in Ireland the early years of the last century and caused a mutiny amongst officers in the Curragh.

Nelson also sports on his CV leadership of the Ulster Clubs in North Belfast, an organisation that was entirely dedicated to mutual understanding and tolerance and opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement by whatever peaceful means were necessary. In his political life he has a track record of leaving one party and joining another whenever they do not reflect his zeal and fervour. He truly puts the mental in fundamentalism.

So who then is this man charged with the development of Culture in the North? According to our friends in the Irish News Nelson previously led a campaign against St Malachy’s Grammar School reopening playing pitches in a largely Protestant area of north Belfast. ??He said he would be happy for St Malachy’s College to use the pitches if an Orange hall was opened on the Andersonstown Road in west Belfast.

In September 2002 Mr McCausland defended a Belfast City Council decision not to fund a film festival on the grounds that the title of the event included the word ‘Celtic’.??”Northern Ireland is not a Celtic country or a Celtic region and its people are not Celtic,” he said.??”Support for this festival would involve recognising the spurious claim that Northern Ireland is a Celtic country. “It would be a denial of the cultural rights of the majority of people in Northern Ireland.”

We will be in contact with his office directly to ask if he would consider writing for Talking Balls under the byline Nelson’s Column. We’ll keep you posted.

Camogie teams around the country observed a minute silence at the weekend for Joe and Anne O’Connell who died tragically in America a week ago. Anne, who played camogie in her home county of Galway also enjoyed a stint with Glen Rovers of Cork, and was remembered in Páirc Ui Rinn on Saturday before the start of the Cork versus Dublin Gala All Ireland senior championship game.

Cork manager Denise Cronin who played alongside Anne in the victorious Glen Rovers All Ireland winning club side of 1992 said it is a very emotional time for all who knew her. “We went out to the 45 metre line and stood together as a mark of respect. This is a terribly sad time for both families and our thoughts are with them.”

Champions Cork went on to record a big win over the Blues 3-21 to 1-7, and Cronin added how important it was to get this win under their belt.

“The Cork club championship starts on Wednesday so we will only have four training sessions before our next match away to Kilkenny on July 11. That is a big game for us because if we can beat Kilkenny, to a degree, we are through to the semi-finals, but if we lose we will be under pressure in our final group game at home to Tipperary at the beginning of August.”

The Cork boss also said it gave them an opportunity to use their substitutions.

“There is a fine line between the starting 15 and players on the bench, so it afforded us the opportunity to see five subs as well. Picking the team is our hardest job because you are leaving off equally good players and you don’t want to break their confidence.”

Cork led 1-15 to 1-1 at the break with the goal coming from skipper Amanda O’Regan and in the second half majors arrived from Eimear O’Sullivan and sub Emer O’Farrell. Rachel Moloney too was in fine form hitting 0-10 with five from play. Ciara Lucey was Dublin’s best player firing their goal mid way through the opening half.

Elsewhere, National League champions Wexford easily accounted for a youthful Limerick side on a score of 5-20 to 0-6. In front 1-9 to 0-1 at the change over, the Slaneysiders turned the screw with Rose Marie Breen’s hat trick of goals. Niamh Mulcahy was the Shannonsider’s top scorer.

There are four Ulster teams in action today (Saturday) in the Gala Camogie Championship. Down and Antrim will battle it out against Dublin and Meath respectively in the ‘New Ireland Cup’, while Tyrone and Armagh will go head to head against Westmeath and Carlow in the ‘Nancy Murray Cup’.

The Antrim vs Meath match has the potential to be a classic with Antrim Captain Kelly Maybin admitting that they know little about their opponents.

“It’s fair to say we don’t really know that much about Meath but we’re fully prepared for the challenge and have been working hard. Obviously we know it won’t be an easy match, Meath will be strong opposition and we know it will be a tough, competitive match,” she said.

Maybin is confident her side can get their Championship campaign off to a winning start saying: “Like all the other sides involved we’re looking forward to getting the Championship started, these are the matches you want to be playing in. We’re fully prepared for the game and I’m confident we can come away with the win.”

Meath ‘keeper Emily Mangan could find herself having a busy afternoon with the scoring threat of talented young stars Shannon Graham and Emma McMullan but Antrim will need to be weary of midfielders Kristine Troy and Lizzy Oaks as they dictate most of the play for Meath.

Down and Dublin promises to be a mouthwatering game, with the introduction of eleven new faces on the Dublin team and Down manager Joe Baldwin admits that today’s match will be a lot different to the National League encounter between the sides: “The team that they announced has eleven new players so it’s a different ball game. We always knew that it was going to be a different challenge as this is Championship but because of the new faces we have to be even more focused. I’m confident that my side can get the result but at the same time weary of Dublin because of all the new faces.”

Baldwin however believes that his side is fully prepared for Championship season saying: “We been working hard in training and we’re really looking forward to getting the Championship campaign started and the prospective challenges that come along with it. We have everyone fit and a full panel to select from so we’re ready in that regard. Hopefully we’ll get the campaign off to a winning start.”

Down will be boosted by the news that both Captain Lisa McCrickard and Maireen McAleenan have recovered from injury to take spots on the bench.

“The good news is that Lisa (McCrickard) has recovered from the injury she sustained against Derry a few weeks ago and Mo Mac (Maireen McAleenan) has also returned. Both players will start on the bench and that bodes well for the team, to have to players of that calibre on the bench ready to come into the field of play at any time is a huge confidence boost for the squad,” Balwin added.

Both Tyrone and Armagh are in action in the ‘Nancy Murray Cup’ today. The Tyrone girls are in fine from and will be hoping to continue their winning ways against Westmeath. Armagh take on Carlow and will hoping to obtain their first win of the season. However the Orchard girls suffered a blow earlier in the week with the news that experienced ‘keeper Bronagh Keenan suffered broken hand in a club game.

Fixtures:
Gala Junior Championship ‘New Ireland Cup’:
Down vs Dublin Clonduff GAC, 5pm
Meath vs Antrim Kiltale, 2.30pm
Gala Junior Championship ‘Nancy Murray Cup’:
Carlow vs Armagh Dr Cullen Park, 1pm
Westmeath vs Tyrone Cusack Park Mullingar, 7pm

Cork v Dublin, Páirc Ui Rinn, Saturday 3.15pm
Champions Cork welcome back Emer Dillon to the side this year in what can be seen as further strengthening their hand as they set out to defend their Gala All Ireland senior camogie title on Saturday.
After exiting the league early the Leesiders have worked away quietly and will certainly go out to make life difficult for Peter Lucey’s Dublin. Lucey, a Cork man himself, however will not be in awe and would love to spring a surprise in this first round tie.

Limerick v Wexford, Hospital, Saturday 2.30pm
Wexford go into this game as firm favourites, especially following their incredible double National League honours earlier this year. With a very strong panel to pick from Stellah Sinnott’s side should on current form pose too strong for the Shannosiders.
Still, Phelim Macken – even if his team is youthful – has a large selection to choose from and a solid championship campaign would be a step in the right direction for the Green and White.
Experienced players like Aoife Sheehan, Michelle Casey and Joanne Clifford will have to be at their best.

Wexford: M D’Arcy; B Holohan, D Codd, C O’Connor; A Codd, M Leacy, A O’Connor; C Murphy, K Kelly; M O’Leary, R M Breen, J Dwyer; U Leacy, M Hearne, U Jacob.

Limerick: M Lonergan; S Carey, S Collins, J Garvey; J Mulcahy, A Sheehan, J Clifford, D Fitzpatrick, N Mulcahy; E O’Brien, F Morrissey, C Davis; K Brosnan, M Casey, C De Bhal.

Cork: A Murray; J O’Callaghan, R Buckley, L O’Connell; J Duffy, M O’Connor, S Hayes; O Cotter, B Corkery; E Dillon, G O’Connor, E O’Sullivan; S Burns, A O’Regan, R Moloney.

Dublin: S McCarthy; A Fitzpatrick, T Corrigan, R Ruddy; A Maguire, S Ryan, C Power; C Lucey, L Twomey; R Costello, L O’Hara, C Cooney; E Lucey, A Murphy, J Hoey.

Research carried out by one of Ireland’s leading research universities is believed to have identified that the majority of hurleys manufactured in Ireland over the last twenty years have in fact been what are known as left-handed hurleys.

It is believed the error dates back to a secret directive issued by Croke Park in the early eighties that pointed out there were an increasing number of head injuries due to overhead pulling. The Croker thinktank believed that the introduction of helmets would in part alleviate the problem but in addition they wished to regulate the size of the bas on the hurl.

After much research in Croke Park, a sample of the ideal hurley was sent to every hurley maker in Ireland with clear instructions on their future behaviour. In those days, unlike today when you can’t go round a corner without someone carving away on their caman, there were much fewer men (and women) crafting the ash and therefore regulation was much easier.

Unfortunately, the sticks chosen as the original of the species, and from which the vast majority of hurls in Ireland have since descended, were a batch made specially for the famous ciotog hurler Jimmy Doyle of Thurles Sarsfields and Tipp. He specified to his hurley maker, Pat Óg Leahy that the heel of the hurl should have a slightly elevated angle on one side, all the better to cut the ball (in the manner of Joe Canning nowadays) and also a small indent was planed into the bas to enable easier carrying of the ball. In addition the protruding bit on the handle was carved longer than normal as yer man occasionally was bothered by an itching of the nether regions and he found a good scratch with the butt of his stick eased the discomfort. Even nowadays an observant viewer can watch the way hurlers and Camogs alike rest crotchwise on the handle of the stick during breaks in coaching, teamtalks, the national anthem and the like.

Sources in Croke Park have revealed they will be issuing new guidelines on hurleys to ensure that in future more right-handed sticks are produced. It is believed this innovation will help the promotion of hurling countrywide and may increase further the volume of scores from sideline balls. Readers are encouraged to check at home, in the garage, in the shed and in the fertilizer bag and remove all left-handed hurls immediately.

Your attention is drawn to the attached illustration of a correct, right handed stick, sourced exclusively by Squareball.