DUBLINER Val Andrews was appointed as Cavan senior football manager last night and afterwards declared he wanted to get the players “back to work”.
Speaking to the Irish News following his appointment, the 39-year-old Dubliner said he wanted to close the recent chapter of turmoil in Cavan and restore the county to winning ways.
“This is an opportunity to work with top class players in a county with tradition,” he said.
“I’m blessed in that I don’t really know what went on here before my time but this is day one of a new era in Cavan football.
“I know this is a high profile position but all I’m interested in is getting the players back to work.
“I’m committed to doing the best job I can for Cavan.”
Andrews, who succeeds Liam Austin in the position, has been appointed for a three year term which will be reviewed after each Championship.
He will spearhead a four man team which includes former Irish sprinter Pat Flanagan, the man who helped him guide Tralee IT to the last two Sigerson Cup titles. Flanagan (37) has been brought in as trainer/selector.
AN apologetic IFA yesterday admitted a letter sent to two northern-born footballers asking whether religion had been a factor in their decisions to declare for the Republic of Ireland had been “naive”.
Pointedly, IFA president Jim Boyce yesterday took personal control after a week of embarrassment for the north’s governing body to deliver an apology to young players Brian Lagan and Mark Hicks plus their respective families.
Boyce was speaking hours after he had led an IFA delegation into talks with the FAI counterparts in Belfast dominated by the controversial issue of eligibility of northern-born players for Republic of Ireland teams.
The IFA president said the offending letter had been sent by an officer of the body “without authorisation” adding the communication had been “a major mistake”.
LEICESTER manager Martin O’Neill is out to shatter the Wembley dreams of the team he supported as a youngster when he faces Sunderland in the first leg of the Worthington Cup semi-final tonight.
O’Neill’s boyhood hero was the former Sunderland and Northern Ireland hard man Charlie Hurley and he still has great affection for the current runaway First Division leaders.
O’Neill said: “At boarding school I used to get into all sorts of trouble for listening to Sunderland games on the transistor radio underneath the bed clothes.
“They were always my team when I was growing up back in Northern Ireland and some great cup ties with Manchester United stick most in my memory. I have always had a soft spot for them.
“But any time I have been in opposition to them as a player or manager, that sentiment has gone out of the window.
“This time will be no different. Two years ago was fantastic and I want us to get back to Wembley.
“If we win the tie, then – and only then – I might feel a bit sorry for Sunderland.''
LURGAN light welter Glenn McClarnon scored a dramatic win at the St Andrew’s Sporting Club in Glasgow last night when he knocked out Dean Nicholas in the first round.
A double McClarnon left hook combination to the body dropped his opponent for the full count with just under two minutes gone in the bout
THE following Derry Under 21 footballers should report to Owenbeg: Ballerin: Stephen McCoy; Ballinascreen: Paul Hassan; Ballinderry: Paul McIvor, Steven McGeehan, Darren Conway, Conleth Gilligan, Niall McCusker, Gerard Cassidy; Banagher: Ryan Lynch; Bellaghy: Francis Gluckin, Gavin Diamond; Castledawson: Adrian Heaney; Drum, Eoin Farren; Dungiven: Paul Murphy; Faughanvale: Steven Morrow; Glen: Brian Kelly; Kilrea: Thomas Donaghy, James Donaghy; Lavey: Francis Scullion, Nevin McClory, Michael Hassan; Loup: Paul McFlynn, Padraig O’Kane; Magherafelt: Jonathan Niblock; Slaughtneill: Brendan Kerney, Michael Kellyversial issue of eligibility of northern-born players for Republic of Ireland teams.
