Donnellan set to lead Tribesmen

MICHAEL DONNELLAN looks set to captain Galway following the county final win by his adopted Salthill/Knocknacarra.

The winners had three players on the Galway squad, but Finian Hanley and Sean Armstrong, both members of the All-Ireland U-21-winning side, joined the squad late in the season and neither is guaranteed a starting place.

That leaves Donnellan, who only joined Salthill/Knocknacarra six months ago from Dunmore MacHales, avourite to be nominated.

On the field, Donnellan has proven a natural leader and on Sunday played a huge role in Salthill’s defeat of Carna/Cashel for their second crown.

Galway Football Board secretary John Power yesterday confirmed that it would be up to Salthill to nominate the 2006 county captain.

“There was a move a few years ago to have this changed but the motion was defeated at the annual convention so, as it stands, it is now Salthill’s honour to make the nomination,” he said.

Champions Carrickmore have been drawn against Dromore in the semi-finals of the Tyrone football championship, a repeat of last year’s decider.

Surprise packages Omagh, the only team from outside the top division to reach the last four, will take on Errigal Ciaran. It promises to be a testing tie for Omagh management duo Chris Quinn and Martin McCaffrey, both former Errigal players.

Both semi-finals will go ahead next weekend and the final is on October 23. Fears of further delays from the involvement of seven members of Ireland’s International Rules squad have been allayed as the players’ involvement in the club championship has ended.

TG4 are to carry live coverage of the Cork SHC final between Cloyne and Newtownshandrum on Sunday.

Programming from Páirc Uí Chaoimh begins at 3.45pm. The station will feature games from the club and provincial championships every Sunday until December 11 and will

also broadcast the annual Underdog challenge on Saturday, December 10. This year the side will play the Kilkenny hurlers in Nowlan Park.

TG4 sports editor Rónán Ó Coisdealbha said: “Last year the Cork county final had big viewing figures, and with Cork as All-Ireland champions, it is a high-profile game with a lot of inter-county players on show.”