Derry deny Bradley rift

DERRY GAA chiefs last night hit out at “unfounded rumours” that Paddy Bradley had left the county football panel – and said he will be back at training tonight.

A strongly-worded statement scotched reports that Bradley informed manager Damien Cassidy he was withdrawing for the squad and said he will be available for Saturday’s qualifier clash with Monaghan.

The statement said: “Management and players wish to end unsubstantiated rumours escalating in the media that Paddy Bradley has left the Derry senior football panel. Such rumours are totally unfounded and without substance. Paddy Bradley completed a full training session with the team on Sunday morning and will resume training on Tuesday night.

“We trust this terminates any speculation escalating in the public domain, and that management and players are enabled to concentrate on their sole focus of the qualifier game taking place on Saturday.”

Meanwhile, GAA chiefs in Mayo and Galway are to investigate serious incidents in county championship games. The Mayo board are to launch a full investigation into the off-the-ball incident that occurred during the opening minutes of a club championship match last Sunday and left county midfielder Ronan McGarrity with an undisplaced fracture of his cheekbone.

The injury means that the Ballina player will almost certainly miss the Connacht SFC final against Galway on July 19 after being told by specialists that the multiple hairline fractures are likely to take between four and six weeks to heal.

“It’s very likely that Ronan is out of the Connacht final,” explained Mayo manager John O’Mahony last night.

“We’re planning without him at the moment but we’re also monitoring the situation constantly. Having said that, the chances of him being involved in the Connacht final are fairly remote at the moment.”

The off-the-ball incident was not seen by the match referee or his linesmen. However, Ballina Stephenites club contacted the county board asking for a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding McGarrity’s injury.

“We are awaiting the referee’s report at the moment and have also requested unedited copies of videos from both clubs,” said a county board spokesperson.

Elsewhere Galway football officials are awaiting reports from two referees after five players were sent off in one match and another game was marred by ugly scenes.

Galway Football Board chairman John Joe Holleran said reports from the match referees would decide on the course of action after five were sent off as Salthill/Knocknacarra pipped Milltown 0-11 to 0-9 to reach the senior championship quarter-finals. And officials were also waiting on the referee’s report after a melee developed before extra-time started as county champions Corofin went on to defeat An Cheathru Rua by 0-14 to 2-5 at Pearse Stadium.

But the major talking point was at Tuam Stadium where former All-Ireland club champions Salthill/Knocknacarra had three players – John Boylan, captain Declan Burke and Tomas Burke – sent off when they received straight red cards from inter-county referee Gerry Kinneavy.

Boylan and captain Burke were dismissed in a melee that involved a large number of players after 20 minutes, with Milltown’s Shane Waldron sent off in the same incident. Less than 30 seconds later Ciaran Murphy of Milltown got a second yellow card for a late tackle, while Salthill’s Tomas Burke got his marching orders during a second half where the sides were level four times before late points from Seamie Crowe and Sean Armstrong secured a place in the quarter-final for Salthill/Knocknacarra on a 0-11 to 0-9 scoreline.