Campbell ‘sorry’ for Muldoon incident

BOTH Armagh and Donegal have been hit by injuries prior to their Ulster SFC final clash at Clones on Sunday.

Centre-forward Tony McEntee (foot injury) and wing back Paddy McKeever (hamstring injury) have been ruled out of the Armagh side while Donegal corner forward Michael Doherty misses out because of a knee injury.

Meanwhile, Donegal vice-captain Paddy Campbell has apologised for the incident which resulted in a four week ban for Derry’s Enda Muldoon.

The Naomh Chonail man appeared to make contact with the Derry star’s private parts before Muldoon lashed out and was shown a red card by referee Michael Monahan in the Ulster semi-final.

The incident appeared to have been missed by the match referee and his officials but was picked up by a TV camera. However the 30 year-old Campbell has apologised for his actions.

“It is something I regret and one that should never have happened,” he said.

“And if I could turn back the clock I most certainly would. I was provoked earlier off the ball, not I may add, by Enda Muldoon, and I lost my focus for a minute. I did what I did but it should never have happened and I am very sorry for it. But there is little I can do about it now other than to apologise to Enda for what happened.”

Meanwhile reports that Laois have dispensed with the services of team trainer, Gerry Loftus, following the team’s comprehensive defeat to Dublin in the Leinster semi-final, have proved wide of the mark.

The former international gymnast, who became a household name in the country with his world record-breaking exploits in the World Superstars series in the early ‘80s, was taken on by manager, Mick O’Dwyer, at the beginning of the season to replace John Doran, who had departed to join John Crofton’s backroom team in Kildare.

The rumours of Loftus’s departure seem to have been started by O’Dwyer’s wish to take training on the Tuesday after the Dublin loss. However, the Army man, who is renowned for embracing the latest developments in fitness routines, was back in harness the following Thursday and will continue to be responsible for Laois’s physical conditioning.

O’Moore County officials report a clean bill of health ahead of Saturday’s clash with All-Ireland champions Tyrone at Portlaoise, apart from the loss of midfielder, Padraig Clancy, who damaged the AC joint in his shoulder during the Dublin game and faces another four weeks out of action.

Shane O’Rourke and Brian Sheridan are included on the Meath minor team for tonight’s ESB Leinster championship semi-final against Laois in Newbridge. Both were on the St. Pats team which lost to Abbey CBS (Down) recently in an memorable All-Ireland colleges final. Sheridan is a younger brother of senior player Joe while O’Rourke is a son of former stalwart and TV pundit Colm.

Clare have major injury doubts concerning team captain Conor Whelan and utility player David Russell for their All-Ireland SFC qualifier with Fermanagh at Cusack Park on Saturday. Whelan has a shoulder injury, while Russell is suffering from a groin strain. Centre back Brian Considine is carrying a knee injury at present but hopes are high that he will be passed fit to play.

The Clare hurlers are confident that defenders Brian O’Connell and Gerry Quinn will be available for their qualifier with Offaly also at Cusack Park on Saturday. O’Connell (finger infection) and Quinn (groin injury) missed last weekend’s victory over Dublin at Parnell Park.

The Dublin minor football team to face Offaly in the second semi-final at Portlaoise shows two changes from the side which defeated Westmeath in the previous round. Niall Coughlan and Adam Keaney come into the team in place of Liam O’Donovan and Hugh Gill, and there are also several position changes, with Coughlan starting at centre forward, Paddy O’Connor moving to the right half forward and Cathal Morley switching to left half forward. Dean Kelly goes from left half forward to right corner forward.

DUBLIN (MFC v Offaly): J Mooney; J Cooper, A Keaney, C Connolly; C McIntyre, K Nolan, C Guckian; C O’Sullivan, S Ryan; P O’Connor, N Coughlan, C Morley; D Kelly, S McCann, P Andrews.

MEATH (MFC v Laois):J Ginnity; G Farrelly, S Sheppard, S Carr; D Donegan, E Reilly, P Brady (capt); S O’Rourke, C Finn; G Reilly, C Lynch, D Dalton; A Nestor, S Keating, B Sheridan.

OFFALY (MF v Dublin): B. Quinlan; B. Lonergan, D. Hayles, S. Pender; G. Ward, D. Horan, J. Knight; N. Geraghty, R. Brady; J. Gorman, D. Currams, B. Kelly; W. Mulhall, N. Dunne, K. Casey.