The Leinster Council’s decision to choose Nowlan Park as the venue for Dublin’s opening defence of their provincial title may have come from left-field, but the Kilkenny ground will not be virgin territory for all of Jim Gavin’s footballers.

WESTMEATH captain Denis Glennon has lashed out at his county board for not providing manager Pat Flanagan with enough financial backing last year.

THE All-Ireland football qualifiers have lost the unpredictable edge that made the system such a success when introduced five years ago, Longford manager Luke Dempsey believes.