Tyrone set to pull out of McKenna Cup
Tyrone are scheduled to face Fermanagh next Sunday in their opening game in Section A but it is now uncertain whether they will be in a position to fulfil the Brewster Park clash.
The Red Hands are also pencilled in for games in Healy Park tomorrow week against UUJ and another home tie at the Omagh venue against Donegal on Sunday week. But the prospects of the county withdrawing from the competition were raised following an official statement released last night by the Tyrone County Board, that revealed a decision will be made on their participation in the Dr McKenna Cup at a later stage.
Meanwhile, Mayo footballer Billy Joe Padden looks set to be on the verge of a shock switch to Armagh’s ranks after completing a club transfer from his native Belmullet to Carrickcruppen. Padden is married and living in the Newry area which paved the way for his transfer to the club who are based in the village of Camlough, located four miles from the county Down town. It was formally announced yesterday that GAA officials have approved the transfer and it is understood that Padden has already trained with Paddy O’Rourke’s Orchard panel with the Armagh boss currently considering whether to add him to his squad for the 2011 season. Padden has strong Ulster connections having won a Sigerson All-Star in 2004 while attending Queen’s University. He works as a planner with Kildare County Council and the extensive travelling for training and games he was forced to do is believed to have been behind his reason for the transfer. In addition, Padden had played a peripheral role for Mayo last season under John O’Mahony with his last appearance coming as a late substitute in the qualifier defeat against Longford last summer.
Meanwhile, Tipperary football boss John Evans admits he’s unsure about the availability of last year’s captain Robbie Costigan for the coming season. There has been some speculation in local circles that Costigan and a number of his Cahir colleagues are preparing for a stint abroad while the defender is also struggling with a facial injury after suffering a double suppressed fracture of his cheekbone last summer.
On the plus side for Evans, Seamus Grogan is back in the squad after missing last year’s championship through work commitments abroad. Evans also revealed the door is open for dual stars Sean Carey and John Coghlan if they do not make the cut with Declan Ryan’s county senior hurling panel.
Meanwhile, frozen pitches in Ballyhaunis and Ballyforan meant the clash between Mayo and Leitrim, and the meeting of Roscommon and GMIT were both called off. The two ties have been rescheduled for Sunday January 30, the date which the final of the competition was originally pencilled in for. No new date has been fixed for the final and with the NFL due to start six days later, provincial officials are set to wait until the competition finalists are determined before scheduling the game.
