Forbes stays mum on possibility of appeal of Cork minors suspensions

CORK County Board Chairman Jim Forbes remained tight-lipped last night about the possibility of an appeal against the suspensions handed down against three of the Leesiders minor footballers.

He did confirm, however, that he would be meeting with the executive and the players concerned to consider the outcome of the GAC’s decision to suspend them.

Arising from incidents which occurred at the end of the recent All-Ireland quarter-final tie with Laois at Semple Stadium, Cork team captain Andrew O’Sullivan was hit with a 12-week ban, while playing colleague Michael Shields and Ray Carey both received eight-week suspension terms and will miss Sunday’s re-scheduled game in Thurles.

Wicklow County Board has re-appointed Hugh Kenny as senior football team manager for a second year.

Kenny, from Baltinglass is a former Railway Cup star and county full-back and was manager of the Ireland U-17 team this year.

In his first year as manager, Wicklow had their best year for some time, winning four of their seven National League games which included beating All-Ireland semi-finalists Derry.

Derry subsequently defeated Wicklow in the All-Ireland qualifiers.

The County Committee has given Kenny a free hand to pick his own team of selectors.

David Heaney has been given the all-clear to take his place at full-back on the Mayo team for Sunday’s Bank of Ireland All-Ireland SFC semi-final clash with Fermanagh at Croke Park. Heaney sustained an ankle injury in the quarter-final victory over Tyrone and has been unable to train since.

Wing-back Peader Gardiner, midfielders Ronan McGarrity and David Brady, as well as right half-forward James Gill all picked up slight knocks in the quarter-final but will play. The only change sees Pat Kelly take over the left half-back position from Fergal Costello. The 22-year-old Kilmaine player substituted for Costello in the first-half of the Tyrone game.

Fermanagh are due to announce their team tonight but, with a clean-bill of health, manager Charlie Mulgrew is expected to go with the same side that defeated Armagh in the quarter final.

Banner regulars Brian Considine and Donal O’Sullivan will sit out the start of the final of the Tommy Murphy Cup final between Clare and Sligo at Croke Park on Sunday. Both played with their clubs last weekend but have not fully recovered from recent injuries. Noel Griffen is a direct replacement for Considine at centre-back, with Stephen Hickey filling in for O’Sullivan.

Odrian O’Dwyer, who has also been troubled by injury, has been allocated the full-forward position.

This is the first year of the competition and Sunday’s final will provide the curtain-raiser to the Mayo-Fermanagh All-Ireland semi-final. The sides met in the first of the All-Ireland Qualifiers when Clare sprung a big surprise at Cusack Park with a 1-15 to 1-8 victory over a highly fancied Sligo outfit.

Sligo keep faith with the side that beat Antrim.

Kilkenny have deferred selection of their team to play Cork in next Sunday’s All-Ireland IHC final at Thurles until later in the week. A number of the Kilkenny team were in action last night in the county senior hurling championship.

Tyrone have major injury problems ahead of Saturday’s All-Ireland MFC semi-final against Down. Midfielder Shane O’Hagan is the most serious doubt, a pulled hamstring threatening his participation in the Casement Park tie.

Skipper Marc Cunningham has a shoulder problem, while PJ Quinn and John Kelly are also rated doubtful. Defender Brendan Boggs has been ruled out with an ankle injury, but Raymond Mulgrew, who missed the easy quarter-final win over Roscommon with a groin strain, is expected to return.

CLARE (SF v Sligo): D. O’Brien, P. Gallagher, C. Whelan, D. Blake; A. Clohessy, N. Griffen, R. Slattery; David Russell, G. Quinn; Denis Russell, S. Hickey, M. O’Shea; E. Coughlan, O. O’Dwyer, R. Donnolly.

SLIGO: (SF v Clare): J. Curran, C. Neary, N. Clancy, N. Carew, R. Keane, N. McGuire, K. O’Neill, G. Maye, S. Davey, B. Curran, P. Taylor, K. Quinn, J. McPartland, D. Sloyne, A. Marren.

MAYO (SF v Fermanagh): P Burke; C Moran, D Heaney, G Ruane; P Gardiner, J Nallen, P Kelly; R McGarrity, D Brady; J Gill, K McDonald, A Dillon; C Mortimer, T Mortimer, B Maloney.