February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Sean Creedon
The replay of the ladies All-Ireland football final between Monaghan and Waterford will be played at Croke Park on Sunday, Oct. 25. Once again the "countdown clock," which proved so popular in the drawn game, will be used.
And following the lead set by the ladies, it’s likely that the GAA may decide to copy the idea of the "countdown clock" for some of the major hurling and football games.
Woman coach
Limerick soccer club has made history by appointing a woman as their first team coach. Siobhan Furlong is well qualified for the job. As well as holding a full coaching badge, she has represented her country 28 times.
Limerick is already unusual in that they have a priest as chairman. Indeed the hard work of Fr. Joe Young is the main reason the club has survived in recent years.
Follow us on social media
Keep up to date with the latest news with The Irish Echo
Coleman at Derry’s helm again
Eamonn Coleman is back in charge of the Derry senior footballers. The man who led the Oak Leaf County to their first-ever All-Ireland success in 1993 has now been named as joint manager with Adrian McGuckian. They replace Brian Mullins, who stepped down after Derry’s defeat by Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Under the lights
Gaelic football history was made in Castleblaney last week when Monaghan played Longford under floodlights in the All-Ireland ‘B’ championship. It was the first time an inter-county GAA game was played under lights. And for the record the home team won by three points.
Ryder Cup for Wicklow?
The Druids Glen golf course in County Wicklow are determined to win the right to host the Ryder Cup in the year 2005. The club, which has hosted the Murphys Irish Open for the past three years, intend to spend over £60 million on a 150-bedroom five-star hotel, detached houses and a second golf course.
Aussie from Dublin
Dublin-born Jim Stynes, who is in the Australian squad for the Compromise Rules Series against Ireland, has officially retired from Aussie Rules. Stynes won a Brownlow Medal in 1991 and has made a good living "down under.
Carr back with Tipp
Declan Carr, brother of the Dublin football manager Tommy, is back in the Tipperary hurling squad. Carr has been recalled by new boss Nicky English, a former playing colleague. English has also called up Declan Browne, who had a brilliant game for Tipp against Kerry in the Munster football final.
Canal End demolished
The famous Canal End has been demolished at Croke Park and two tiers of a new stand at the city end of the ground should be ready for next year’s All-Ireland finals. The Canal End will eventually house corporate boxes similar to those on the new Cusack Stand, although the GAA are reluctant to call it the Cusack Stand any more. With the green light already received to retain Hill 16 as a standing area the GAA propose to demolish the Nally Stand and re-build it as a terrace and incorporate it into the ‘Hill.’ When that work is complete the ‘Hill’ end will be divided in two, so that competing counties in future All-Ireland finals will have access to a reasonable number of cheap terrace tickets. The Hogan Stand will also be re-built and the plan is to start demolishing the existing Hogan Stand the Monday after next year’s All-Ireland final. We should see a fully re-built Croke Park by September 2001.