Bye, Bye, Mickey
The big news from the world of GAA is that Mickey Whelan has
resigned as Dublin football manager after Sunday's defeat at the
hands of Offaly in Parnell Park. And about time too. His two-year
reign after the All-Ireland win of 1995 was nothing more than a
disaster for the metropolitans. The Dubs were outclassed in
nearly every department, from defence to the forward line. After
two league defeats the prospect of Dublin in one of the lower
divisions next year is a real possibility. Hopefully better days
are to come.
On the footballing front Donegal beat a poor Derry side (missing
their Dungiven players) with an eight-point margin at Ballybofey.
No great surprises in any of the other sections with wins for
Meath over neighbours Westmeath, Down over Tipp, and Tyrone over
Sligo. All-Ireland champions Kerry beat Wexford with a lacklustre
and laid back performance in Tralee.
There were some important club ties to be decided last weekend in
both codes. East Kerry snatched the title from Laune Rangers,
thus denying them three county titles in a row. In the Leinster
Senior Hurling Championship Dublin's O'Toole's beat St Mullin's
of Carlow after a bad start in Dr Cullen Park. And no surprises
as Kilkenny champions Dunnamaggin and Offaly's Birr defeated
opposition from Kildare and Wicklow.
Special GAA conference
At a special conference in Dublin's Burlington Hotel the GAA
discussed the issue of amateurism in the game. At the end of it
all the decision was taken to relax the rules on total amateurism
in the game. The conference voted to allow players to benefit
from such activities as product endorsement or media appearances.
According to former GAA President Peter Quinn: ``The association
will continue to be an amateur body.'' I hope so. While stating at
the conference that doing nothing in a changing society wasn't an
option, I hope it does not see the GAA heading down the road to
full-blooded professionalism. The amateur ethos is one of the
reasons our Gaelic games are so special and unique. It would be a
shame to see it lost to immoral five-figure wages, transfer fees
and Rupert Murdoch/Sky TV and his vultures, who own nearly every
other sport played in Britain or Ireland.
Bring on Rangers!
other win for the Celts on Saturday. A 2-0 victory over
Dunfermline thanks to goals from Blinker and Larsson. Hearts
edged ahead with a 4-1 victory over Aberdeen to go top on goal
difference. Confidence I'm sure is sky high in the Celtic camp
going into Rangers' own backyard next Saturday. The `Huns'
themselves had a 4-1 win over Kilmarnock. There can be no
cock-ups. Rangers have to be beaten convincingly.
St Pat's went top of the League of Ireland after a 1-0 win over
Dundalk at Richmond Park. Bohs and Cork played out a 1-1 draw,
Cork equalising three minutes from time. On Saturday night Derry
City continued to win with a late goal from Liam Coyle to seal
the points against Finn Harps in the Northwest derby at the
Brandywell.
Ireland's women's soccer team was also beaten in a World Cup
qualifier at Tolka Park in Dublin by Poland, 1-0. The Poles are
now four points clear of the Irish team, who have played a game
less.
By Ciaran Heaphey
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