ARMAGH’S injured star Alan O’Neill may have to undergo exploratory surgery to find out exactly what damage was sustained to his neck during the Ulster SFC semi-final game with Derry.
The Cullaville player returned to the Mater Hospital in Dublin this week after suffering from pins and needles in his neck and spine, but the medics have yet to ascertain the exact nature of the ailment.
O’Neill goes back to the Dublin hospital next week to see whether or not he requires an operation.
As expected, the player is ruled out of the Ulster final clash with Down in a fortnight’s time.
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GLENCOLMCILLE and Killybegs will have two of their top performers available for tomorrow evening’s top match in the Donegal Senior Football Championships.
This second leg tie has aroused considerable interest – Glencolmcille shaded the first encounter by a mere point – but Killybegs will be keen to make amends on their home soil.
Sin-binned Paddy Hegarty (Glen) and Dennis Carberry (Killybegs) have both served their four-week suspensions in what promises to be a cracker.
Manus Boyle is still effortlessly shooting points – so the Fishermen get the vote to bring matters to a third tie. Also in Fintra, Martin McHugh’s Kilcar take on St Naul’s who shocked them in their second leg tie last weekend.
Young Andrew Gallagher was brilliant for the Mountcharles side – while the mighty McHugh is much rounder these days.
But, himself, James McHugh and rising star Michael Hegarty should clinch it for Kilcar.
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IN the Junior European Swimming Championships in Moscow, Andrew Bree bagged another brace of records. The Ards wonder boy swam 30.78 seconds in the heats of the 50 metres breaststroke, then 30.48 in the final – an Ulster senior and an Irish junior record.
Michael Williamson clocked 31.48.
Bree repeated the pattern in the 400 metres individual medley: this time 1 min 06.32 in the heats and 1:05.74 in another double record-breaking final.
Williamson finished in 1:07.66. Meanwhile in the European Youth Olympics at Esbjerg in Denmark, Bangor’s Andrew Quayle made his own 50 metres point.
He made a 25th place overall in the 200 metres breaststroke with a personal best time of 2:41.13.
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PAT Flanagan has stepped down as trainer of the Cavan senior football team.
Flanagan came on board six months ago as Val Andrews’ number two but informed the county board earlier this week he would no longer be able to continue in the post.
Cavan officials, understandably touchy after the frolics leading up to Liam Austin’s departure in January, were keen to point out yesterday the reasons were “purely practical”.
“This has absolutely nothing to do with our poor performance against Derry,” said county secretary Gerry Soden.
“Pat has left for purely practical reasons.”
After taking charge at the end of January, Andrews and Flanagan travelled the eight-hour round trip from Tralee together twice a week.
“It was six months of serious driving and serious commitment from the two men,” said Soden.
“We totally understand Pat’s position. No-one could expect him to make that sort of journey week in, week out.”
