Boys in blue on the beat for McIntyre memorial tournament

HURLING’s eighth annual Seamus McIntyre Tournament, sponsored by St Paul’s Garda Credit Union, Cork, goes ahead today at St Martin’s GAA Club in Wexford.

Inter-county stars, past and present, will be in attendance – including Eddie Brennan (Kilkenny), Jerry O’Connor (Cork), Tony Carmody (Clare), Diarmuid Cloonan (Galway), Conor Gleeson (Tipperary), Michael Cussen (Cork), Ken Hogan (Tipperary), Peter Queally (Waterford) and Conor O’Brien (Tipperary).

Seamus McIntyre from Kenmare was a Garda based in Cork City when he was killed (with his colleague Garda George Rice) in a traffic accident while on duty on this day nine years ago. McIntyre was a talented hurler who hurled for St Mary’s, his county Kerry and also played for his province, Munster in the interprovincials.

He also hurled with distinction for Garda College, Templemore and was to date the only captain to lead Garda College to a Fitzgibbon Cup final.

To commemorate his death, the McIntyre family donated a cup to the Garda College GAA Club and a tournament is now held every year around the anniversary of Seamus’s death.

The tournament is an 11-a-side blitz (along the same terms as the Carlow 11s or Kilmacud 7s), held between Garda divisions around the country.

The first game is at 11.15am, with the final pencilled in for 4.30pm.