Kelly support for reduction in replay ticket prices

GAA president Sean Kelly supports the idea of reducing ticket prices for next Saturday’s All-Ireland SHC replay between Cork and Wexford.

However, he admits that the time frame involved may not allow authorities to do so.

He pointed out that in the past when this was done at Munster Council level, the officers received criticism rather than commendation - for not lowering prices enough.

“It’s something I’d have no great objections to, but at the end of the day the ticket price is very small compared to what the overall day costs.

“I have great sympathy for families, and if we could do something for them, I’d have no problem doing it.”

He also revealed that both Cork and Wexford agreed to a replay next Saturday as opposed to the following week, and to playing the game in Croke Park rather than taking it to Thurles.

Meanwhile, Limerick County Board will hold its monthly meeting at Claughaun this evening, with the Shannonsiders’ disappointing performances in the Munster SHC and U-21 HC likely to top the agenda.

The seniors, back-boned by many of the players who contributed to the county’s three-in-a-row All-Ireland U-21 titles, failed to impress in both the provincial championship and the qualifiers.

And the U-21s had their three-year unbeaten run ended by Cork.

The rumour and innuendo which followed the hurlers’ defeat is known to be a cause for concern with county board officers, and delegates to this evening’s meeting will almost certainly demand explanations.

It is understood that senior hurling manager Dave Keane and his selectors Dave Punch and John Meskell have the backing of the board officers.

Chairman Pat Fitzgerald claimed in a recent interview that there had been a lot of sniping at the senior hurling panel and the management team, and he appealed for fans to support them.

The race to become Cavan’s next senior football boss has heated up with the news that Eamon Coleman has declared a wish to link up with the Breffni Blues.

Coleman confirmed his interest in succeeding former blues chief Mattie Kerrigan over the weekend.

And the man who guided his native Derry to All-Ireland SFC success in 1993 immediately took the opportunity to talk up Cavan football: “There’s no way Cavan are as bad as they looked during the summer.

“There seemed to be a bit of a discipline problem in the camp but that can be worked on,” he said.

If Coleman does get the position, he will be the fifth successive so-called ‘outsider’ to manage the blues, following in the footsteps of Mattie Kerrigan (Meath), Val Andrews (Dublin), Liam Austin (Down) and Martin McHugh (Donegal).

Cavan’s 1997 Ulster SFC title-winning captain Stephen King and outgoing county minor and U-21 bosses Tony Brady and John Brady have also voiced their interest in the role.