McStay enters race but Ryan still favourite for Kildare job
Former Wexford boss Jason Ryan may be viewed as the favourite to succeed Kieran McGeeney but ex-Mayo star McStay last night revealed “there’s a lot of lads to be met yet.”
McStay was reacting to the RTÉ TV draw for the 2014 GAA senior provincial championships, which pitted the Lilywhites against Westmeath or Louth in the Leinster SFC quarter-final.
Crucially, Kildare find themselves on the opposite side of the draw to provincial and All-Ireland champions Dublin, who themselves received a favourable pairing, which sees them pitted against Wicklow or Laois in their opening fixture.
McStay agreed: “It’s a great draw for Kildare because they’ve avoided Dublin. They (Kildare) would have their eyes on a Leinster final appearance and after that, you’re round 4 (qualifiers) and then you’re really into the championship, win, lose or draw.”
Presenter Michael Lyster quizzed McStay, who guided Roscommon outfit St Brigid’s to All-Ireland club glory last March, about the vacant Kildare position.
And the former Mayo U21 boss responded: “That process is still ongoing as I understand it. There’s lots of lads to be met yet.”
When asked if he was one of them, McStay smiled: “I think I am. But it’s a few days to play out yet.”
Meanwhile, All-Ireland hurling champions Clare could be in line for a repeat meeting with Cork in next year’s Munster championship.
Clare lost to the Rebels in the 2013 Munster semi-final but beat them in last Saturday’s All-Ireland final replay.
Cork have been drawn against Waterford in a Munster SHC quarter-final for the first time since 1975, with the winners to play Clare in the semi-finals.
On the opposite side of the draw, Tipperary have been handed the opportunity, with home advantage, to exact revenge for last June’s Munster SHC semi-final defeat to Limerick when they meet the provincial champions at the same stage next summer.
Last night, Clare selector Mike Deegan admitted that he would have preferred if the Banner County were sure of their first opponents, rather than waiting for the winners of the Cork-Waterford tie.
He explained: “You’d prefer, any year, to be playing the first match.
“The way it is when you play the second game, the opposition has had a championship match to get rid of the cobwebs and iron out a few things.”
Elsewhere, beaten All-Ireland football finalists Mayo begin the defence of their Connacht crown with a pre-determined visit to New York, with the winners to play Roscommon or Leitrim.
In Leinster, Dublin avoided Galway and Kilkenny in the provincial SHC semi-final, with a semi-final meeting against Wexford the most likely scenario for the holders.
As usual, the Ulster SFC has thrown up a plethora of intriguing fixtures.
Tyrone have been handed a difficult route to the semi-finals as they must get past Down and holders Monaghan to reach the last four.
Antrim, Carlow, Laois, London, Westmeath
Group Winner V Wexford; Group Runner-Up V Galway; Kilkenny V Offaly
Dublin V Group Winner/Wexford; Group Runner-Up/Galway V Kilkenny/Offaly
Waterford V Cork
Tipperary V Limerick; Clare V Waterford/Cork
Antrim, Carlow, Laois, London, Westmeath
Group Winner V Wexford; Group Runner-Up V Galway; Kilkenny V Offaly
Dublin V Group Winner/Wexford; Group Runner-Up/Galway V Kilkenny/Offaly
Waterford V Cork
Tipperary V Limerick; Clare V Waterford/Cork
Tipperary V Limerick; Clare V Waterford
Cork V Tipperary/Limerick; Kerry V Clare/Waterford
New York V Mayo
London V Galway; Roscommon V Leitrim
London/Galway V Sligo; Roscommon/Leitrim V New York/Mayo
Tyrone V Down
Fermanagh V Antrim; Derry V Donegal; Armagh V Cavan; Monaghan V Tyrone/Down;
Fermanagh/Antrim V Derry/Donegal; Armagh/Cavan V Monaghan/Tyrone/Down
Wicklow V Laois; Longford V Offaly; Westmeath V Louth
Wicklow/Laois V Dublin; Longford/Offaly V Wexford; Westmeath/Louth V Kildare; Carlow V Meath
Wicklow/Laois/Dublin V Longford/Offaly/Wexford; Westmeath/Louth/Kildare V Carlow/Meath
