Irish Sports Desk Sherlock to take year off from soccer

By Sean Creedon

Dual sport star Jason Sherlock is quitting soccer for a year to concentrate on his Gaelic football. New Shamrock Rovers boss Damien Richardson was not happy that Jayo was also playing Gaelic football and he was told he could leave Rovers if he wanted to.

But Sherlock, who hit the big time with Dublin in 1995, says he does not want to leave The Hoops and he will see out the final year of his contract with Rovers next season.

Sherlock plays club football for Na Fianna and is also hoping to retain his place with the Dublin team for the National League campaign. He also presents a program on RTE Television.

Aussie selections

Former Meath star Colm O’Rourke last week named his Irish squad for the trip to Australia next month. And O’Rourke’s home county has got the highest representation, with captain John McDermott, Trevor Giles, Darren Fay and Graham Geraghty all traveling Down Under.

The first test is in Melbourne on Oct. 8th and the second in Adelaide a week later. O’Rourke said he and his selectors, John O’Keeffe and Mickey Moran went for brain rather than brawn in making their choices.

"We have gone for a high-skill type of player," O’Rourke said. "Obviously we won’t be able to match the Australians in some aspects, but we can make the best of our strengths."

All eyes on Keane

UEFA have confirmed that the final two games in Group 8 on Oct. 10 will kick at the same time so as not to allow any advantage to either team.

So the Republic’s game against Macedonia in Skopje will kick off at the same time as the Croatia vs. Yugoslavia game. A time has not yet been announced, but it will probably be 3 p.m.

Meanwhile while we cannot wrap him up in cotton wool, but for Ireland’s sake, let’s hope Roy Keane is fit and well for the Macedonia game. Over the last few games, it has become obvious that without the Corkman we are lost in midfield.

O Se reappointed

Paidi O Se has been reappointed manager of the Kerry senior football team for another two-year term. Another former Kerry great, John O’Keeffe, has been retained as technical advisor and will also act as a selector.

O Se could have three new selectors, as they will be chosen by the Kerry clubs. Other managers staying on for another year include Pat Curtin in Clare, Gay Sheerin in Roscommon and Pat King in Fermanagh.

Offaly opt for Nolan

Offaly have gone for yet another unknown as their team manager. Padraig Nolan, a former Kildare player, takes over from Tommy Lyons. This will be Nolan’s first intercounty job, although he has had success with St. Patrick’s College, Navan, and with Meath club Dunderry.

Also, long-serving Limerick hurler Gary Kirby says he is quitting the intercounty scene.

Millstreet to host fights

Millstreet, Co. Cork, will stage its first-ever boxing international on Oct. 30, when Ireland meet Wales. The international will be hosted by the local Rylane Boxing club, who are celebrating their 21st anniversary this year. The international will be at Noel C. Duggan’s Green Glens Arena, which in the past has hosted the Eurovision Song Contest and a World title fight between Steve Collins and Chris Eubank.

Belfast GAA

The GAA’s infamous ban was ended at Congress in Belfast. Now a new Gaelic Players Association could be formed in Belfast tonight, Sept. 15. Talks and meetings have been going on for some time between players in Ulster and Donal O’Neill from Newry is their spokesman.

O’Neill is a former employee of IMG and has plenty of experience in handling big-name accounts.

"Croke Park have been running their affairs on a professional basis for a number of years," he said. "Now the players don’t see why their affairs can’t be managed by a professional organization."

Efforts to start a players association have been tried without success before, but this time it could be for real.