JOE Brolly should be fit in time for Dungiven’s tilt at the All-Ireland club semi-final in February, despite sustaining ankle ligament damage at Clones on Sunday, it was confirmed yesterday.
Initial fears that the Belfast-based barrister had broken his ankle after shipping some hefty tackles against Errigal Ciaran in the Ulster club final, proved unfounded.
An X-ray yesterday morning revealed ligament damage, leaving him out of the game for up to eight weeks.
Dungiven secretary Seamus Mullan said: “Joe was in some pain after the game and had an ice pack on his ankle all the way home on the bus. Thankfully the ankle isn’t broken and he should be fine in time for the semi-final in February.”
Mullan also confirmed that Dungiven corner-forward Cathal Grieve received 11 stitches in his lip after the match. Mullan revealed that Grieve was taken to the Erne Hospital in Enniskillen and was given eight stitches outside, and three inside his mouth.
Derry selector Frank Kearney wasn’t sure if the Dungiven players would be returning to county action before Christmas, but hoped the matter would become clearer in the next few days.
“As far as I’m aware at the minute it is up the players’ own discretion whether they want to come back for the remaining two league games before Christmas,” he said.
Derry play London on Sunday and according to Kearney have a fully fit squad to choose from.
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MICK McCarthy is not interested in criticism but admits his Republic players must shake their dismal first leg World Cup play-off performance from their systems. “I don’t care what the papers wrote about our performance in the first game,” said McCarthy yesterday.
“I couldn’t care less what journalists think anyway. If they want to criticise that’s their opinion.
“We all have opinions but I’m not interested, I’m not bothered and I’m beyond getting bothered about what other people say.
“What matters is that I wasn’t pleased with our first performance and the players weren’t happy either. This squad is fine, they are a great bunch of lads and we all know we can play better.”
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PADDY Donnelly, the Northern Ireland champion, won the first billiards ranking tournament of the season when he lifted the Reading Rooms Classic at the Bangor Reading Rooms Club who also sponsored the event.
In the final the West Belfast cueist knocked in a break of 182 on the way to a 600 to 320 points success over Tommy Murphy from Newtownards.
The break gave him the highest break award while his other scores were 31, 37, 51 and 48.
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ST AGNES'S held at successful boxing and disco promotion at Dwyer’s GAC at the weekend.
Fight of the night featured bantamweight Jim McCombe and Emerald star Gary O’Neill.
McCombe took a wafer-thin unanimous points victory after a thrilling scrap.
O’Neill and younger brother Thomas were both recently crowned BGCNI champions at the Banville House, Banbridge finals day.
Thomas kept up the winning streak at the Dwyer’s Club, beating flyweight James Taylor, the only defeat for St Agnes’ on the night.
Winning medals went to the McClurkin brothers Sean and Francis, Sean Hill and Dessie Kennedy, while Pat Taylor, Irish boy champion last season, featured in an exhibition with Saints star Harry Cunningham.
