GAELIC GAMES:ONE OF the most remarked-on anomalies in the hurling championship is the way it benefits counties defeated early in championship. Limerick and Wexford, who both lost provincial quarter-finals, are already into Phase III, whereas two of the counties who got farther than them won't make it because the provincial semi-finalists are drawn against each other in Phase II.
This means Wexford, who lost to Offaly last month, can end up lasting longer in the championship.
It was confirmed by Croke Park yesterday there is likely to be no change to the championship structure before 2014.
Feargal McGill, the GAA’s director of games administration and player welfare, said the current championship is a three-year trial that will be reviewed at next year’s annual congress.
“The current structure has one more year to run. There are a couple of things that need to be assessed. It will be the end of the trial period for Antrim and Galway’s participation in the Leinster championship and also we need to review the number of counties entering the Liam MacCarthy, which has been open-ended for the past couple of years.”
The latter arrangement has allowed counties who weren’t originally listed as part of the MacCarthy Cup tier to exercise a right to compete at the top level by winning the Christy Ring Cup.
There was a measure of support for the system from an unlikely source. Offaly manager Ollie Baker brings his team to Páirc Uí Chaoimh to face Cork on Saturday evening. For the county, who lost narrowly in exactly the same fixture in last year’s qualifiers, it will be a second demanding fixture since recording last month a first championship victory over Wexford in 12 years.
“That’s the way it is. The farther you go on, the stronger the opposition and that’ll always be the case. We’re up against a Division One team that got to the final. You couldn’t get a tougher draw.
“I wouldn’t have a beef with that, though. I wouldn’t trade beating Wexford for a different draw. Championship wins are what you want. This year we put pressure on ourselves at home and hadn’t beaten Wexford in a long time. We responded well, even it collapsed a bit at the end.
“The structure makes it hard to pick up momentum. A few years ago there was a round-robin structure and it gave teams matches. It takes more than a couple of games to pick up momentum and develop the team. There’s a big difference between hurling in the spring and during the summer. Championship is what it’s all about and what people want to see.
“It can generate bigger support for a team and create a bond between players and supporters when they get to see them for a few matches in the championship.”
Meanwhile, Dublin manager Anthony Daly says Conal Keaney is almost certain to miss Saturday’s All-Ireland hurling qualifier against Clare in Ennis. The hamstring injury sustained by Keaney during the Leinster semi-final mauling by Kilkenny has been slow to respond to treatment and a substitute’s role is the best the player can hope for, according to his manager. If he’s available for even 10 minutes, we’ll slot him into the 26.”
Keaney was substituted after just 15 minutes when he picked up the injury and the floodgates opened shortly after as TJ Reid scored Kilkenny’s opening goal.
According to Daly: “The two big doubts are Conal and Conor McCormack – who picked up a dead leg on Saturday. Conal is probably out but we’ll give him as long as we can. Conor couldn’t train last night and it’s day by day with him, really. Paul Schutte’s still not right either. We thought that he might be back but he’s just not ready.
“But Joey Boland and Ryan O’Dwyer have both declared themselves fit. They haven’t as much done as some of the lads but they were back on Saturday and again last night (Tuesday).”
Finally, there was good news for Waterford with the disclosure that Pauric Mahony, an All Star nominee last year, has a chance of appearing in the Munster hurling final against Tipperary.
Mahony was originally expected to miss the whole championship because of a groin injury but he has recently returned to full training.
The Waterford County Board top brass remained silent last night on claims made by Munster Council chairman Seán Walsh that Waterford wanted a financial “sweetener” to play the Munster final at Semple Stadium instead of Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
But it is understood Déise chiefs are extremely annoyed by Walsh’s comments and may come out with an official response after the Munster final.
A county board source revealed: “We were prepared to draw a line in the sand but he (Walsh) has resurrected it again.
“His comments didn’t go down well in Waterford. We weren’t worried about a sweetener. Our supporters and players wanted to go to Thurles.
“I’m disappointed with Seán Walsh coming out like this. He shouldn’t have got involved at this stage, so close to the match.”
Cork have replaced centre back Eoin Cadogan with Christopher Joyce for the qualifier with Offaly, and Cian McCarthy starts in place of Cathal Naughton.
Both Cadogan, who has opted to play with the footballers in Sunday’s Munster football final against Clare in Limerick, and Naughton started in the semi-final defeat against Tipperary.
CORK (SHQ v Offaly): A Nash; S O’Neill, B Murphy, C O’Sullivan; T Kenny, C Joyce, W Egan; D Sweetnam, L McLoughlin; C Lehane, C McCarthy, P Cronin; J Coughlan, P O’Sullivan, P Horgan (capt). Subs: D McCarthy, S McDonnell, D Cahalane, K Murphy, E Cadogan, D Kearney, S Ó hAilpín, J Gardiner, C Naughton, L O’Farrell, S Moylan.
OFFALY: E Kelly; C Hernon, D Kenny, J Rigney; D Morkan, R Hanniffy, D Horan; K Brady, S Ryan; C Egan, C Mahon, B Murphy; S Dooley, J Bergin, B Carroll.
