Hurling & Camogie

GAA fixtures across Ireland fall foul of Storm Dennis

As Storm Dennis battered Ireland, the pitch at Owenbeg was deemed unplayable for yesterday's NHL Division 2B clash between Derry and Kildare Picture by Margaret McLaughlin
As Storm Dennis battered Ireland, the pitch at Owenbeg was deemed unplayable for yesterday's NHL Division 2B clash between Derry and Kildare Picture by Margaret McLaughlin As Storm Dennis battered Ireland, the pitch at Owenbeg was deemed unplayable for yesterday's NHL Division 2B clash between Derry and Kildare Picture by Margaret McLaughlin

THE weather again played havoc with fixture lists around Ireland over the weekend as Dennis took the place of Ciara in the February storm stakes.

Antrim’s National Hurling League promotion six-pointer against Offaly in Division 2A was among the victims as O’Connor Park in Tullamore was deemed unplayable following a pitch inspection on Saturday.

The Division One Group A game between Limerick and Waterford was postponed twice in as many days. Initially scheduled to take place on Saturday evening at the Limerick Gaelic Grounds, the clash between the Munster rivals was pushed back to yesterday due to high winds. However, there was no let-up in the gales yesterday, forcing the game to again be called off.

Also in Group A, yesterday’s game between Galway and All-Ireland champions Tipperary, scheduled to be shown live on TG4, was postponed due to high winds at the coastal Salthill venue.

A number of other games across the hurling league were also called off, including the Derry v Kildare game at Owenbeg and Fermanagh’s meeting with Sligo at a sodden Brewster Park. Cavan’s Division 3B game with Leitrim was forced to move to the 3G pitch at Breffni Park.

The four Ulster U20 Football Championship quarter-finals, all set for Saturday afternoon, were wiped out as the north bore the early brunt of Storm Dennis. The Donegal v Monaghan game was initially moved to Letterkenny after a pitch inspection at Ballybofey deemed that surface unplayable. However, a further pitch inspection later deemed Letterkenny unfit for purpose also. Dunsilly, which was to host the meeting of Antrim and Derry; the Athletic Grounds, where Armagh and Tyrone were to clash; and Breffni Park, which was to host Cavan v Down were all judged to be unplayable.

In Connacht, the provincial U20 semi-final between Leitrim and Galway at Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada was postponed, while the Leinster U20 FC quarter-final pairing of Laois and Westmeath has been rescheduled for tonight at Portlaoise.

In soccer, RTÉ were forced to cancel their live coverage of the League of Ireland Dublin derby between Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers on Saturday as the camera gantry and presenting area at Dalymount Park were deemed unsafe.