AS a player, NFL and All-Ireland medallist, multi-honoured Allstar back and international Tony Scullion enjoyed the experience of Compromise Rules football.
Derry’s former defensive ace, who now works as a full-time coach with the GAA’s Ulster Council, featured in tests against the Aussies in Ireland in 1987, and Down Under in 1990.
Today the junior Australian international team arrive in Dublin for a five-match tour, which has as its showpiece a clash with Ireland at Croke Park on April 22.
Scullion has been appointed manager of Ulster and Ireland for the event, the fourth of its kind at under-age level since 1981.
Australia open their tour in Tullamore against Leinster on Easter Sunday, with Scullion’s U17 Ulster team facing the boys from ‘Oz on Tuesday at Silverbridge.
“I am looking forward to it, and it is a brilliant opportunity for us to display our talents against international opposition,” said Scullion.
“When the Australian’s last toured Ireland at U17 level in 1991, they won all their matches quite easily.
“They were very strong, had a squad drawn from the best of Aussie Rules youth, and every one of the players to toured in ‘91 went on to full senior careers in Australian Rules.”
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DUNLOY star Gary O’Kane returns to the Antrim hurling side to face Galway in the National League tomorrow at Casement Park.
O’Kane’s club mate, goalkeeper Shane Elliot is also named while St John’s full-forward Joe O’Neill will record his first start in an Antrim senior jersey.
O’Neill has been an impressive addition to the panel and scored minutes after his introduction to the recent Division 1A league win over Dublin at Casement.
Antrim (v Galway): S Elliot, S McMullan, E Colgan, C McCambridge, R Donnelly, Gary O’Kane, C Kelly, P McKillen, M Molloy, J Carson, C McGuckian, S P McKillop, A Elliot, J O’Neill, J Elliot
Subs: R Matthews, S Bailie, Ryan McNaughton, C Hamill, J McIntosh, A Delarghy, Gregory O’Kane, F McMullan, S Og McGuinness, L Richmond, C Cunning.
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DOWN ladies footballers may be stripped of two league points if they fail to travel to Sligo for a rearranged division three game on Easter Monday.
The Mourne side claim they cannot field a team for the game at Ballymote, as over half a dozen of their squad are currently on holidays.
Down originally agreed to Sligo’s request to postpone the match on March 15 when the westerners claimed they could not find an available pitch in the county.
Sligo, however, have not returned the favour and are insisting the game must be played on Monday.
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WORLD champion Ken Doherty has dropped only one frame in reaching the last eight of the British Open at Plymouth. The Dubliner followed up a 5-0 victory over Dene O’Kane and Wednesday night’s 5-1 success against Martin Clark with a 5-0 demolition of Londoner Karl Burrows.
“I haven’t really excelled myself here but I’m getting the job done,” said Doherty.
