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Irish News Past Papers - Nov 6 1998: Competition strong in Poly Allstar nominations

Derry's Enda Gormley shoots for goal despite an attempted block by Armagh's Martin Toye. Picture by Ann McManus
Derry's Enda Gormley shoots for goal despite an attempted block by Armagh's Martin Toye. Picture by Ann McManus Derry's Enda Gormley shoots for goal despite an attempted block by Armagh's Martin Toye. Picture by Ann McManus

ALMOST 60 former Jordanstown football stars are in line for the Allstars team being chosen to mark the Poly’s silver jubilee.

Four names have been put forward for each position, apart from a total of six for the two midfield slots, and the final fifteen will be chosen by a panel of former UUJ managers.

Among those who later made their mark on the county scene are Down’s double All-Ireland winners DJ Kane, Gary Mason and Barry Breen, plus Derry’s Enda Gormley and Dermot McNicholl, who both also went on to lift the Sam Maguire.

The Poly’s production line also shaped the talents of current Armagh joint-manager Brian Canavan, his county colleague Ger Houlihan, Kevin McCabe and Mattie McGleenan of Tyrone, and Fermanagh’s Mark Gallagher, who scored the points which won the Poly’s last Sigerson in 1991.

The men who have to decide include DJ Kane’s brother Val, manager in that 1991 season, current Derry boss Eamon Coleman, former Down manager Sean Smyth, Charlie Sweeney, and Eugene Young, who is also in contention for a place at full forward.

The final ‘best of’ line-up will be judged on performances while at UUJ and will be announced at a celebratory evening to be held in the Great Northern Hotel, Bundoran.

The contenders in each position are as follows:

Goalkeeper: Gerry Lynn (Antrim), Pat Doonan (Down), Cathal Canavan (Armagh), Hugh Fitzpatrick (Fermanagh).

Right corner-back: Eamon McMorrow (Fermanagh), Dermot Conroy (Dublin), Brendan O’Hara (Antrim), Padraig O’Neill (Armagh).

Centre back: Mark Turley (Down), Martin McNally (Tyrone), Martin Lennon, Gareth O’Neill (both Armagh). Left corner-back: Jim McCartan (Down), Liam McCreesh, Anthony McArdle (both Armagh), Sean Meyler (Tyrone).

Right half-back: Sean Gallagher (Down), Brian Canavan (Armagh), Barry Young (Derry), Aiden Morris (Tyrone). Centre half-back: Dessie McKenna (Tyrone), Colin Harney (Armagh), Noel Donnelly (Tyrone), Barry Breen (Down).

Left half-back: H McGurk (Derry), Michael Sands, DJ Kane (both Down), Gary McConville (Tyrone).

Midfield: Paul O’Hagan, James Devlin (both Tyrone), Cathal Glass (Derry), Stephen Conway (Tyrone), Aiden Brown, Mal O’Hare (both Down).

Right half-forward: Martin McCann (Louth), Dermot McNicholl, James McAfee (both Derry), Brian Carty (Fermanagh).

Centre half-forward: Peter Walsh RIP (Down), Enda Gormley (Derry), Mat McGleenan (Tyrone), Gary Mason (Down).

Left half-forward: Colm McKenna (Tyrone), Paddy Molloy (Down), Gerard Houlihan, Declan Canavan (both Armagh).

Right corner-forward: Paul McColgan (Derry), Kevin McCabe (Tyrone), Tommy Maguire (Fermanagh), Colin Burns (Down). Full forward: Hubert Collins RIP (Fermanagh), Eugene Young (Derry), Donal Durkin (Down), Dominic Corrigan (Fermanagh).

Left corner-forward: Sean Fearon (Armagh), Paul Madden (Tyrone), Cathal McNicholl (Derry), Mark Gallagher (Fermanagh)

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JIM Boyce has been elected onto the Fifa disciplinary committee and becomes the first IFA President to serve on the governing bodies of the games European (Uefa) and World associations.

Boyce is also a member of Uefa’s U21 committee and was largely responsible for the birth of Northern Ireland’s first competitive U21 side which is currently playing the European Championship qualifiers.

Boyce takes up his position with immediate effect and last night said the appointment was one “which reflected the stance of the IFA and Cliftonville FC within the game.”

“While this is an honour for me, it is a big achievement for the IFA and for Cliftonville,” he said.

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DERRY City sprang a major surprise last night by naming caretaker boss Kevin Mahon as their new manager, albeit on a part-time basis.

ahon, a former Candystripes player, had indicated that he was not interested in the job, which fell vacant after the sudden departure of Felix Healy, but last Sunday’s home derby victory over Finn Harps helped change his mind.

Chairman Kevin Friel suggested on Monday that “the earliest the white smoke will be seen is next week” but the smokescreen of rumour allowed Derry directors to seal this unexpected appointment.

The seventh Brandywell manager since 1985, Mahon played for Athlone Town, Finn Harps, the now defunct Thurles club, and Dundalk, also enjoyed two spells with New York Apollo, Coleraine and Derry City. Mahon’

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ANTRIM champions Dunloy will host Sixmilebridge of Clare in a special charity challenge game tomorrow (2.00) in aid of the Omagh Appeal Fund.

The match is a repeat of the 1996 All-Ireland Club Championship Final which the Clare side won.

Sixmilebridge boast the talents of three senior county players, goalkeeper David Fitzgerald, Niall Gilligan, and Christy Chapman, plus minor stars Stephen Fitzpatrick and John Reddan.