GAELIC GAMES:MEATH'S PREPARATIONS for next month's championship opener against Kildare were thrown into disarray with the news that two selectors have resigned from Séamus McEnaney's management team, citing lack of consultation.
Former All-Ireland winners Liam Harnan and Barry Callaghan were the only selectors from Meath and their withdrawal increases the pressure on McEnaney after a poor league campaign that saw the former Monaghan manager’s first year in charge nearly end in relegation from Division Two.
Although there has been no explicit reference to the decision to recall to the panel Graham Geraghty, captain of the 1999 All-Ireland winning team, three years after his retirement and at the age of 38, the decision to do so is believed to have been a factor in Harnan’s and Callaghan’s departure.
Meanwhile, in hurling, a controversial free three minutes into added time saw Kerry full forward Shane Nolan send the ball over the bar to give Kerry a 1-18 to 1-17 victory over Down in the Christy Ring Cup semi-final in Páirc Esler in Newry on Saturday.
Down produced a brilliant final quarter to come from eight points behind to draw level, only to see Kerry snatch that late, late victory.
Kerry goal-scorer Gary O’Brien received a second yellow card and was sent off with 15 minutes remaining.
Five minutes later Kerry were reduced to 13 players when full back Tom Murnane received a straight red card following a dangerous tackle on Eoin Clarke.
In the other semi-final, the Glynn brothers, Leighton and Enan, drove the final nail in Kildare’s coffin as they guided Wicklow to a first appearance in the final following their 3-11 to 2-11 win at Aughrim on Saturday.
Kildare tried hard for an equalising goal late on, but Wicklow pulled down the shutters, holding on for a famous victory to set up a Christy Ring Cup final meeting with Kerry, who beat them narrowly in the semi-final last year.
