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Action Replay: Barry Breen back to boost Down boost - The Irish News, January 5 1999

Down start Barry Breen (left) with team-mate Mickey Linden
Down start Barry Breen (left) with team-mate Mickey Linden Down start Barry Breen (left) with team-mate Mickey Linden

BARRY Breen is back with the Down senior football squad for the first time in three years.

The 30-year-old has been unexpectedly invited back into the fold by manager Pete McGrath and attended last night’s training session at Ballykinlar, Down’s first after the Christmas break.

Ross Carr has also been asked to return to the Down squad less than four months after he indicated that he had retired from county football. Spokesman Fintan Mussen confirmed last night that the 34-year-old Clonduff forward has “deferred a decision” on his intercounty future.

Breen, however, had a tentative run-out last night and is understood to have come through without any ill-effects.

The Downpatrick man won two All-Ireland senior football championship medals with the county in 1991 and 1994 but a series of injuries brought his inter-county career to an abrupt end.

Down’s preliminary round exit to Donegal in 1995 was his last championship game in Mourne colours and although he was involved the following season, injury prevented him playing a significant role that year.

The centre-half-back was forced to have a succession of operations on a heel problem and previously suffered with a groin injury.

Such has been the extent of his injuries, Breen hasn’t played for his club Downpatrick for two years.

The Castlewellan-based schoolteacher was involved in the management of the Down minor football squad last year and it remains to be seen whether his fleeting return to the senior team will be serious enough to effect his commitments at under-age level.

Breen scored goal in the All-Ireland final victory over Meath in 1991, and his return would be regarded as a major boost within the county.

FORMER World featherweight champion Wayne McCullough found himself surrounded by young boxing supporters last night at the official opening of the new Sandy Row amateur boxing club in Belfast.

The Pocket Rocket, who leaves for his US home base of Las Vegas this week, was invited along by the Sandy Row ABC committee and didn’t disappoint his army of young fight fans.

The gym is situated at the Lisburn Road end of the famous Belfast thoroughfare, opposite the Crescent Bar, and will cater for the many budding champions of the area.

CAVAN’S football crisis, rocked by a no-confidence vote by players in its senior team management which is led by former All-Ireland star Liam Austin, has forced the County Board to act.

A hastily-arranged special meeting of delegates representing all 40 clubs and all senior administrators is to take place tonight. It will bring together over 90 officials at the Carrig Hotel in Cross Keys, situated between Cavan town and Ballyjamesduff.

Frank exchanges of views are anticipated as officials tackle the issues involved and attempt to thrash out a resolution to what has blown up into a deeply embarrassing affair.

Austin’s management team issued a detailed joint statement to the media on Sunday which asked that the “alarming situation” be addressed at the earliest opportunity.