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The Irish News Archive: June 26 1998: Enda Muldoon looks set to play central role for Derry

Pictured are the select Ulster University five with (from left) Joe Cassidy, Shane King and Sean Martin Lockhart in front backed by Barry Duffy, Michael McMullan (chairman) and John McEntee.
Pictured are the select Ulster University five with (from left) Joe Cassidy, Shane King and Sean Martin Lockhart in front backed by Barry Duffy, Michael McMullan (chairman) and John McEntee. Pictured are the select Ulster University five with (from left) Joe Cassidy, Shane King and Sean Martin Lockhart in front backed by Barry Duffy, Michael McMullan (chairman) and John McEntee.

ENDA Muldoon is emerging as the favourite to replace suspended Joe Cassidy in the Derry side for Sunday’s Ulster semi-final.

The Ballinderry man could be drafted in as a third midfielder alongside Anthony Tohill and Dermot Heaney, leaving Seamus Downey and Joe Brolly as a two-man full-forward line.

The other option open to manager Brian Mullins is veteran Enda Gormley.

Glen attacker Gormley was introduced at half-time in the comprehensive win over Monaghan.

Cassidy received a one-month ban from the Derry county board late on Wednesday (following his dismissal in a club championship replay against Slaughtneil) which ruled him out of this weekend’s Ulster football Championship semifinal showdown with Armagh.

“I think Sunday will be the lowest point of my career,” he said.

“I felt really bad after we lost in the Ulster final last year but this is different. I don’t like it and I don’t want to miss big games for Derry.

“I found out about the ban after training on Wednesday and I was devastated.

“I’m not even allowed into the dugout on Sunday, so I’ll be watching from the stands with Fergal McCusker and Johnny McGurk (both injured). “Thank God, I’m not sitting on my own.”

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FIVE of Ulster’s top young footballers have been chosen as the first recipients of a new GAA scholarship scheme from the University of Ulster.

The select five are Joe Cassidy, Shane King and Sean Martin Lockhart, Barry Duffy and John McEntee.

The recipients will each receive £800 in recognition of their commitment to the university’s Gaelic Football Club.

In addition to the money - supplied by local industry - each player will be appointed an adviser to monitor their fitness and training regimes.

They will also receive sports psychology support, fitness training advice, physiotherapy and specialist coaching.

In return the players must give their full commitment to the university teams, with the university having ‘first option’ on the player for HE leagues and championships.

Five players were chosen to receive awards for this academic year, but the number will rise to nine next year, with applications open from October.

The players were chosen according to criteria approved by Croke Park, and the final decisions were made by John Farrell, President of the University of Ulster Gaelic Football Club, along with coach Adrian McGuckin.

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IRELAND will be digging for gold in Liverpool this weekend after the old and the new stars of Irish senior boxing produced thrilling wins in yesterday’s semi-final programme.

Veteran Waterford welter Neil Gough registered his third win of the multi-nations event with victory over Ukraine’s Serguey Tsupko.

An 11-6 win sets Gough up for a fight for gold against Germany’s Alexander Sipos in tomorrow night’s showdown.

Talented Dublin teenager Aodh Carlyle stamped his name on a top international medal in his first senior season with five points to spare against Aussie Matthew Paulley.

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LISBURN'S Cathriona Campbell was the only Northern Irish athlete chosen in the men or women’s Irish athletics teams announced yesterday for their international in Budapest on July 5.

Campbell will compete in the javelin event when Ireland take on Hungary, Germany, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Russia.