THE GAA has outraged a tabloid newspaper after ordering printers to remove an advertisement for the tabloid from the official programme for tomorrow’s All-Ireland hurling final.
The advertisement was for the Irish Sun, the Irish edition of the British tabloid newspaper the Sun.
A similar advertisement destined for the GAA’s official programme for the All-Ireland football final has also been banned.
The Irish Sun newspaper has lashed the ban describing it as “the most ridiculous thing”.
And it has secured the support of Limerick hurling manager Tom Ryan who said the GAA should explain itself.
Mr Ryan told the Irish Sun yesterday he had always found the newspaper’s GAA coverage excellent.
In an editorial on the controversy, the Irish Sun said: “The GAA’s disgraceful action is an insult to the 71,000 people who buy the Sun each day.”
And it asked: “What has The Irish Sun done to offend the GAA?” The paper said it has the “best-respected, most authoritative writer on the gaelic games, Peader O’Brien” and has a weekly pull-out and daily pages on hurling and football.
GAA has so far not commented on the matter, however, it is believed the GAA was concerned about how some of its supporters might perceive an advertisement for the Sun in official GAA programmes.
While the advertisement in question was for the Irish edition of the newspaper, the Sun has aroused controversy in the past with articles, stories and editorials perceived as having an anti-Irish bias.
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THE National League of Ireland championship starts tonight for the supporters of Derry City and Finn Harps and while the north west may be an unfashionable geographic location it may also boast the biggest gate of the weekend.
It has been 10 years since these clubs met in a league game but a considerably shorter time since they met in the League Cup – a fortnight to be exact.
Derry took the game that night with a late Paul Curran goal and return to the same venue this evening hoping for a similar result.
Felix Healy's side have simmered nicely over the close season. Encouraging results in friendly and League Cup games have shown the manager has done well in the transfer market.
Gavin Dykes we knew about and welcomed, Ritchie Purdy the same, but James Keddy was something of a dark horse.
Now, as the kick-off beckons, he is the one the fans talk about, the one they want to see marauding down the left beating men and crossing the ball.
A natural left-footer, he gives the side a greater balance, and works that wing well with Tommy Dunne, on loan from Shelbourne last season but now with Derry on a more permanent basis.
There has been a lot of coming and going at Finn Park since the end of last season with the manager Dermot Keely one of the first out the door.
Charlie McGeever, Keely's replacement has also been busy with new arrivals, including David Platt, (no, not that one) the son of former Northern Ireland international goalkeeper Jim. Platt Junior is expected to make his debut in goals tonight.
The game is also unusual for the fact that seven players on show have played for both sides.
Finn Harps: Platt, Oliver, Minnock, Dowling, Scanlon, Quigg, Melvin, Walsh, McGettigen, Speake, McCann, Frawley, Kelly, Doherty, McGranaghan, Heaney, Sheridan, Nash.
Derry City: Devine, Purdy, Hutton, Curran, Dykes, Mohan, Hegarty, Liam Coyle, Beckett, Keddy, Hargan, Semple, Ryan Coyle, Crossan.
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ANDREW McCormick, the 21-year-old junior international from Comber, birdied two of the closing four holes at Malone to help Scrabo make history when beating Lurgan 3-2 to win the Ulster section of the Irish Senior Cup.
It was six footer McCormick who made the difference in the decider when defeating Tom Douglas one up and send Scrabo through to the All-Ireland finals at Tramore on September 19-21.
In a monumental match Douglas looked in control when taking a one hole lead with par at the short 12th.
McCormick hit back with a sizzling birdie at the short 15th, where he hit an eight iron into five feet and then took the lead with a four footer for birdie at the long 17th.
However the youngster, still chasing a first Senior international cap, made a hash of his approach shot to the par four 18th.
Extra time seemed imminent but astonishingly McCormick lowered a 40 footer from the lakeside fringe for an outstanding par four and a half with Douglas – sufficient to clinch overall victory.
Semi-finals:
Scrabo 4 Ballyclare 1 – A McCormick bt C Darrah 4 and 2, A Meharg halfed with J Foster Jnr, R Boal bt R Forsythe 2 and 1, B Mills bt P Armstrong 5 and 4, R Milligan halfed with C Steele.
Lurgan 4 Strabane 1 – T Cummins lost to E Kennedy 3 and 2, T Douglas bt B Patton 1 up, S Magee bt E McMenamin 5 and 4, S Guiseley bt J Callan 1 up, R Hanna bt N Callan 1 up.
Final: Scrabo 3 Lurgan 2 – Milligan bt Cummins 4 and 3, McCormick bt Douglas 1 up, Meharg bt Magee 4 and 3, Boal lost to Guiseley 4 and 3, Mills lost to Hanna 3 and 2.
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THE much awaited Eamonn MageeKevin McKillen fight is back on. It was reported that McKillen had pulled out of the light-welterweight contest after he chipped a wisdom tooth during training this week.
But a fax from McKillen's stable yesterday afternoon confirmed the fighter will be in Belfast for the big Fight Night at the Ulster Hall on September 3.
Matchroom's Harry McGavock received the news from McKillen and said the fighter was upset that at one stage he had to pull out.
“I have been assured McKillen is now on the bill. For a few short hours he was not going to fight because he was in terrible pain.
“But he wants this fight against Eamonn as he feels pretty confident. This bout will be one of the main attractions on the bill,” said McGavock.
“Eamonn Magee is one of out finest prospects at this time and I'm looking forward to watch him progress past McKillen's confidence.”
