Sport

In The Irish News on Sep 14 1996: Danny Ball keen on Tyrone manager job

FOLLOW THE LEADER...In Mayo boss John Maughan, Meath's Sean Boylan may face his most tactically astute managerial opposite to date. See BRAWN, brain and brilliance story below
FOLLOW THE LEADER...In Mayo boss John Maughan, Meath's Sean Boylan may face his most tactically astute managerial opposite to date. See BRAWN, brain and brilliance story below FOLLOW THE LEADER...In Mayo boss John Maughan, Meath's Sean Boylan may face his most tactically astute managerial opposite to date. See BRAWN, brain and brilliance story below

DANNY Ball last night gave thousands of Tyrone supporters the news they wanted to hear by confirming that he is interested in succeeding Art McRory and Eugene McKenna as manager of the county team.

“I would have to give it serious consideration if I was asked,” he said after leading Errigal Ciaran to another county final.

Ball, who is hot favourite to take over the reigns as Tyrone bid to erase the heartbreak of last month's All-Ireland semi-final defeat, added philosophically “you can't do anything until you're asked and I don't know if the job will come up.”

Errigal sources have said they will not stand in his way, and an appointment of anyone other than the “peoples choice” would be a major shock.

No official announcement is expected until after the Tyrone championship final on September 29, when Ball's Errigal Ciaran face champions Carrickmore or Moortown.

If appointed, he is likely to continue his partnership with Anthony Gallagher, his assistant in 1991 and 1992 when the pair guided Tyrone to successive All Ireland U21 titles.

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Errigal Ciaran 1-13 Beragh 0-7

Errigal Ciaran, even without Peter Canavan, coasted to the Tyrone senior championship final with a nine points victory over Beragh at Omagh last night.

It was a well taken Eamonn McCaffrey goal seven minutes into the second half which finally broke the resolve of a Beragh team playing in its first senior semi final since 1955.

In the end, the experience of the former champions was too much for their youthful opponents, who nevertheless fought bravely to the end.

This was a competent if unspectacular performance from Errigal, who had Pascal Canavan in dominant form at centre back and full forward Eoin Gormley on song with seven well taken points.

Errigal Ciaran's: C McEnaney, C McRory, A McGinley, C McCann, P Horish, P Canavan, M O'Rourke, H Quinn, K McGinley, S Canavan (0-1), E McCaffrey (1-1), I McCaffrey (0-1), L Quinn, E Gormley (0-7), B Neill (0-3).

Subs E Kavanagh for L Quinn, M McGirr for O'Rourke.

Beragh: P Grimes, S Farley, S Owens, S McCarney, G Donnelly, P Donnelly, N Farley, T McKenna, A Donnelly, C Cox, Sean Donnelly, Stephen Donnelly, E Rogers (0-3), B Grimes, C Grimes (0-4).

Subs B McCartan for Stephen Donnelly, H McNamee for B Grimes. Referee: J Curran (Ardboe)

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BRAWN, brain and brilliance should be in plentiful supply tomorrow for what promises to be a thunderous All-Ireland title clash at Croke Park between Mayo and Meath.

Belief, as opposed to blind hope, has fuelled both bids as they powered past lame Kerry and bloodied Tyrone in the semi-finals.

It's a battle of the giants - physically at least, if not by tradition in the case of Mayo, who are trying to catapult themselves over a sporting chasm for a first time in 45 years.

And what a hard, no quarter asked, enthralling battle it should be!

Players are braced for what's expected to develop into a punishing test of will, of tension-strained nerve.

Trevor Giles and Maurice Sheridan are two of the more obvious players who have within their remits the skilled execution techniques to shape the score, the balance of play.

To the finalists these young, prolific marksmen could be worth their proverbial weight in gold.

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FORMER Belfast and Dublin Marathon winner Tommy Hughes is to a launch a comeback at the age of 36.

The south Derry man, who represented Ireland in the Marathon at the Barcelona Olympics four years ago, has joined Belfast club Annadale Striders.

Hughes is hoping to compete in the Dublin Marathon at the end of next month. Meanwhile, top local middle-distance runner Gary Lough is undergoing treatment for a knee injury.

Lough has suffered a season of injury, illness and disappointment. A virus scuppered his chances of making the British team for the Olympics in July while Lough also sustained a fractured hand during the summer.