McKenna Cup 2024

[never kickt a ball]

Draw was made the 12th November last year so we will have to wait a good few weeks before it livens up in here.

Holders Tyrone to face Armagh in Dr McKenna Cup group

Holders Tyrone will face Armagh, Antrim and St Mary's College in their round robin section games in the Dr McKenna Cup in January.
The competition will start on Sunday 4 January with further group games scheduled for 11 and 14 January.
Last year's beaten finalists Cavan have been grouped with Down, Monaghan and UUJ in Section A.
Section B will see this year's beaten All-Ireland finalists Donegal taking on QUB, Fermanagh and Derry.
The competition has been dogged by county v college player wrangles in recent years.


Dr McKenna Cup draw

Section A: UUJ, Down, Cavan, Monaghan
Section B: QUB, Fermanagh, Donegal, Derry
Section C: St Mary's College, Armagh, Antrim, Tyrone


Queen's pulled out of the entire 2013 competition in protest at several of their players being required to represent their counties.
The Ulster Council appointed former Armagh manager Joe Kernan to mediate in the issue last year but UUJ still opted to forfeit their final round robin game against Cavan because of the unavailability of players.
Exams, injuries and students representing their counties were the reasons given by Jordanstown for pulling out of the Breffni Park match.
At that stage, UUJ said that they "looked forward" to returning to the competition in 2015 and they were in Wednesday evening's draw.

The Tyrone v Armagh Section C tussle will be the first meeting between the teams since the Orchard County's surprise All-Ireland qualifier win over the Red Hands in July.
Tyrone defeated Cavan 1-15 to 0-11 in this year's final.
After the section games, the semi-finals are scheduled for 18 January with the final taking place six days later.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/gaelic-games/29923097?print=true

[ck]

If the GAA president does what he says he will do and sort out the mess that is GAA fixtures then this is bound to be the last of the pre season competitions incl McKenna cup which is more famous for the off pitch rows between colleges and county managers than it is for its football!

[BennyCake]

Any word on the confirmed fixtures?

[Blue in hope]

Sunday 4 January

Round 1 (all games at 2pm)
Group A
Monaghan v UUJ at Clones
Down v Cavan at Pairc Esler
Group B
Fermanagh v QUB at Brewster Park
Derry v Donegal at Celtic Park
Group C   
Armagh v Tyrone at Athletic Grounds
Antrim v St Mary's at Creggan

Sunday 11 January

Round 2 (all games at 2pm)
Group A
Cavan v UUJ at Kingspan Breffni Park
Monaghan v Down at Clones
Group B
Donegal v QUB at Pairc MacCumhaill
Fermanagh v Derry at Brewster Park
Group C   
Antrim v Armagh at Creggan
Tyrone v St Mary's at Healy Park

Wednesday 14 January

Round 3 (all games at 7.30pm)
Group A
Down v v UUJ at Pairc Esler
Cavan v Monagan at Kingspan Breffni Park
Group B 
Derry v QUB at Celtic Park
Donegal v Fermanagh at Pairc MacCumhaill
Group C         
Tyrone v Antrim at Healy Park
Armagh v St Mary's at Athletic Grounds

Sunday 18 January

Semi Finals
(1)  Group A Winner v Group B Winner
(2)  Group C Winner v Best Runner Up

Saturday 24 January

Final
1 v 2

[never kickt a ball]

18 November 2014

Glenavon soccer player Eoin Bradley returns to Derry squad


Eoin Bradley is back in the Derry panel after missing the 2014 campaign because of soccer commitments.
The Glenullin forward will continue to play for Irish League side Glenavon and attempt to accommodate both sports.
"Eoin is in full training with Derry and will be available for selection from the start of the National League," said Oak Leaf boss Brian McIver.
It is a surprise return for Bradley, who starred for Glenullin in this year's Derry club championship.
Bradley scored for Glenavon in Saturday's derby against Portadown before playing in the fundraising 'Game for Anto' at Ravenhill just hours later.
McIlver, who said last year that Bradley could not combine GAA and soccer, will be particularly keen to have the 30-year-old available for next year's Ulster Championship.
The Oak Leaf side take on Down on 7 June, which rules out a clash with Irish League fixtures.
Bradley's last appearance in a Derry jersey came back in 2012 in an All-Ireland qualifier defeat by Cavan.
Meanwhile, McIver's son Brian has left the Derry backroom team to become manager of Down club Kilcoo, although he will remain in charge of the U21s for their championship campaign.

BBCNI

[oakleaflad]

18 November 2014

Glenavon soccer player Eoin Bradley returns to Derry squad


Eoin Bradley is back in the Derry panel after missing the 2014 campaign because of soccer commitments.
The Glenullin forward will continue to play for Irish League side Glenavon and attempt to accommodate both sports.
"Eoin is in full training with Derry and will be available for selection from the start of the National League," said Oak Leaf boss Brian McIver.
It is a surprise return for Bradley, who starred for Glenullin in this year's Derry club championship.
Bradley scored for Glenavon in Saturday's derby against Portadown before playing in the fundraising 'Game for Anto' at Ravenhill just hours later.
McIlver, who said last year that Bradley could not combine GAA and soccer, will be particularly keen to have the 30-year-old available for next year's Ulster Championship.
The Oak Leaf side take on Down on 7 June, which rules out a clash with Irish League fixtures.
Bradley's last appearance in a Derry jersey came back in 2012 in an All-Ireland qualifier defeat by Cavan.
Meanwhile, McIver's son Brian has left the Derry backroom team to become manager of Down club Kilcoo, although he will remain in charge of the U21s for their championship campaign.

BBCNI

He is probably the best forward in Derry so good to see him back but he won't be playing in the McKenna cup.

[BennyCake]

Tyrone usually strong in this, so if we do finish as best runners up, we'll play them Tyrone hoors again.

[GaelOg]

Disgrace that Inniskeen did not get any of Monaghan's home games in the McKenna cup.Clones is the most awkward place to park .The grounds itself is dirty,no car park space,no proper sound system.Inniskeen has got everything and is clean and there is certainly no smells in the toilets .Would the county board not cop themselves on.

[theticklemister]

Better atmosphere in Clones for the McKenna Cup

[ck]

I see the colleges are kicking up a fuss up north again as counties yet again take college players. How many years does this have to go on for before the Ulster council do something about it?
Personally I'd scrap the pre season cups in all four provinces, put Sigerson in December and start the NFL in Jan/Feb.

[screenexile]

I see the colleges are kicking up a fuss up north again as counties yet again take college players. How many years does this have to go on for before the Ulster council do something about it?
Personally I'd scrap the per season cups in all four provinces, put Sigerson in December and start the NFL in Jan/Feb.

Paddy Tally is just right. The Universities should all pull out if they don't get first call on players!!!

The Ulster Council cowed to Mickey Harte a few years ago and caused this situation now it's a mess.

[blewuporstuffed]

I see the colleges are kicking up a fuss up north again as counties yet again take college players. How many years does this have to go on for before the Ulster council do something about it?
Personally I'd scrap the per season cups in all four provinces, put Sigerson in December and start the NFL in Jan/Feb.

Paddy Tally is just right. The Universities should all pull out if they don't get first call on players!!!

The Ulster Council cowed to Mickey Harte a few years ago and caused this situation now it's a mess.

It is  a mess, and to be honest its hard to see the value in these competitions to either colleges or counties.
It would be far better to scrap them and start the NL earlier.
Give the sigerson its place on the calendar pre christmas if that can be worked out.

[BennyCake]

3 years later and the Ulster council still don't have the balls to sort this out.

[ck]

3 years later and the Ulster council still don't have the balls to sort this out.

+1

No balls, no desire and no leadership. Mickey Harte rules the roost. Ulster Council are bunch of puppets

[DennistheMenace]

Disgraceful Colleges don't get their students to play for them.