GAA aim to boost handball profile with appointment of administrator

THE GAA are to raise the national profile of handball with the appointment of a Promotional Administrator.

“Following the recent World championships which we hosted here in Ireland there has been a huge upsurge of interest in the game and we want to tap into that,” the Handball Association’s national secretary Lorcan O’Rourke said.

“For the first time ever Ireland won three of the four top events in singles and doubles. Equally important was the outstanding successes of our juveniles and masters teams.

“Handball is also benefiting hugely from the impact of the participation of our underage players in America. Since 1981 we have been sending a team to those championships every year and have been very successful.

“Last December we won six of the eight titles on offer. It would be fair to say that handball in Ireland is in a healthy state but we are always looking to improve the situation.

“We view the appointment of a promotional administrator as a step in the right direction.”

Meanwhile Scott Doran will be fit for Wexford’s NFL Division 1B opener against All-Ireland finalists, Armagh.

Doran did not play in the Purple & Gold All Stars game and last Sunday’s O’Byrne Cup defeat to Offaly. However, he has vowed to return in early February.

“I had a long season between club and county which started in February, not ending until mid-December, brought about by my club Kilmore qualifying for the Leinster junior football championship final,” said Doran.

“I just needed a break which you can see is very short. I’ll be returning to training this week and will be available for the league campaign. This will be my first time playing Division 1 football.

“It’s going to prove a huge test but it’s great to be up there among the big sides.

“We’ll give it a right good shot for it’s important to stay there and not be relegated after just one season.”

Armagh’s influential centre forward John McEntee will miss the entire National League campaign because of a troublesome back problem.

The injury caused great discomfort for McEntee during last year’s championship and he has been advised to rest it over the next couple of months, meaning that he is unlikely to be available until the Ulster championship opener against Monaghan in May.

“It is a long-term problem,” said Orchard County boss Joe Kernan.

“We are looking at the first round of the championship. John suffered big time last year. The pain was unbearable at times. There is no way he could go through that again.”

Better news for Armagh is that Oisin McConville has made a full recovery from an operation on a prolapsed disc in his back.

However, it could be the end of February before he is able to resume playing again.

The Orchard County will be severely under-strength for this Sunday’s Dr McKenna Cup match against neighbours Monaghan in Crossmaglen.

The senior panel fly out to the west coast of America tomorrow leaving only a skeleton squad to contest the Section C match against Colm Coyle’s team.

That only leaves Armagh with a few players who have senior experience, such as half-backs Kieran Hughes and Andy McCann,

Veteran footballer John Quane, the only Limerick player ever to have played in two Munster senior football finals, in 1991 and 2003, and both against Kerry, will be married this Saturday to Norma McCormack, team physiotherapist.

KILDARE (SF v Westmeath): E. Murphy, R. McCabe, E. Fitzpatrick, A. McLoughlin, E. Callaghan, D. Hendy, K. Ennis, R. Sweeney, A. Barry, D. McCormack, M. O’Sullivan, J. Doyle, B. Moyles, K. Donnelly T. Rossiter.