Ulster Hurling Championship 2008

[orangeman]

That is a complete & utter f**king disgrace about that match starting late. I feel sorry for the Armagh & London players. I was going to say did the Ulster Council not do anything about it...but I just realised there was probably only there from the Ulster Council. It'll be a differant story today at Brewster Park when they'll be falling over each other.

And they were too !!!!! So many officials there, they didn't know what to do with themselves, with a lot of them trying to get as prominent a position as possible in order to get on the TV as well !

[theskull1]

Shameful behaviour. I hope we get some answers as to why this was allowed to happen.

[GalteeMountainBoy]

Is Derry SHC manager Brian McGilligan, the guy who used to play midfield for Derry in senior football.?

[Franko]

Yep, same man

[Two Hands FFS]

Read in the paper this morning that the Cork football manager wanted their challenge match played behind closed doors so he instructed whatever journalists & spectators out of the ground & locked the gate!!! Wot a p***k!! Could you imagine the uproar that would occur if it was a Ulster Championship football being played match being played.....of course it wouldnt happen!

[laoisgaa]

Cork win closed doors clash
By Cóilín Duffy
Senior Football Challenge
Cork 2-15
Down 1-15
A closed doors football challenge between Down and Cork caused consternation on Saturday for both officials, supporters and players at Páirc Esler, Newry.
Disappointed Down supporters turned up for the match, which had an 11.45am start but were told that they would not be allowed see the game as both teams requested a closed doors encounter.

This had a knock-on effect for the hurlers of Armagh and London, whose Ulster Senior Hurling Championship quarter-final failed to take place at the initially announced time of 2pm, was re-fixed following the agreement of both counties and Ulster Council official Martin McAviney for 2.30pm , and eventually started at 2.38pm.

Both teams had to wait until Cork and Down vacated the dressing rooms after the medical staff for both sides, had taken over the third and fourth dressing room.

The Armagh team had arrived at 12.30, an hour and a half before the original throw-in time, and understandably Armagh manager Mattie Lennon was frustrated with the delay.

The Ulster Council apologised at the hurling game for the delay to proceedings.

"The Ulster Council would like to apologise for the delay to this game," the announcer stated.

"This is due to circumstances beyond our control," he added.

Ulster Council official Martin McAviney added his disappointment over the confusion and said a full investigation will be carried out.

"We apologise to both teams (Armagh and London) for the late start," he said.

"The Ulster Council has this game in place and it's now a matter to be resolved by ourselves, Croke Park and the Down County Board."

He added, "What happened shouldn't have happened."

Goals in either half from Fintan Gould and Nicholas Murphy ensured Cork's long journey to Páirc Esler, Newry ended fruitfully on Saturday by 2-15 to 1-15.

The Rebels dominated for the most part but Down 1-4 without reply in a ten minute spell before the full-time whistle of Armagh official Jimmy McKee.

It was Cork's second game played in camera in the space of three days, after the Rebels played Louth in a challenge game in the Wee County on Thursday night.

The gates were eventually opened at 12.50 by the Ulster Council, as the second half of this game began, but the Armagh and London teams failed to enter the dressing rooms for another hour.

Cork led by 2-15 to 0-11 with 15 minutes remaining thanks to a superb goal from midfielder Murphy after he was well placed by Donnacha O'Connor. Miraculously this was the Rebels final score of the contest as substitute Paul McComiskey helped launch a comeback with a superb goal two minutes from the end.

The Queen's University student had just been introduced, and quickly added a fisted point to cut the gap to five points.

Although Liam Doyle added his fourth point of the contest, and Benny Coulter took a late score from play, time ran out for the hosts as Cork held out by a goal.

[AZOffaly]

Hang on a minute Coilin, if this was a 'behind closed doors' game, won't Cork and Down be a bit pissed off to see a journalist giving a report on the game?

[laoisgaa]

Ye well theres no rule in the GAA Rulebook about playing games behind closed doors. Paid up GAA members should be allowed see games if they want too and even those supporters who aren't members of clubs. I feel more for the Down supporters that left disappointed - kids and all turned up to see the game. Last years beaten All-Ireland finalists in their own back yard - would have been nice to let people in - I watched the first half through the gates - nothing escapes me - James Masters didn't seem to be around!

[orangeman]

Saffrons anger at late throw-in 

McNaughton has slammed the Ulster Council for the throw-in time
Antrim joint-manager Sambo McNaughton has hit out at the Ulster Council after the SHC semi-final against Derry was moved to a 2000 BST throw-in on Sunday.

Karl McKeegan could be missing for the Saffrons, who turned down an offer to play the game on Saturday, as he is due to fly to Germany on Sunday night.

"It's another example of hurlers being treated as second-class citizens," McNaughton told the Irish News.

Neil McGarry (ankle) and Liam Watson (groin) are doubts for Antrim.

Dual player Michael Magill returns for the Casement Park game.

"So Antrim could be without one of their main players for a Championship match - the whole thing is a joke," added McNaughton.

"Could you imagine Antrim footballers playing an Ulster Championship match at 8.00 at night or the Derry footballers? There's no chance.

"This is another great way of promoting hurling, isn't it?"

606: DEBATE
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Ulster Council official Danny Murphy said a late throw-in was required to avoid a clash with the Ulster SFC tie between Donegal and Derry, which has a 1600 start at Ballybofey.

"The reason the match was changed to a Sunday night was because Antrim couldn't play on Saturday," he explained.

"We're maybe trying to play too many matches in a short space of time."

Antrim chairman John McSparran shared McNaughton's disappointment at the Ulster Council move.

"We wanted a prominent slot (Sunday afternoon)," said McSparran.

"This new time came back to us and there was no negotiation on it.

"As to how many Derry supporters will travel to Casement at 8.00pm is another matter."

The latest Ulster Hurling Championship controversy follows the farcical delay to Saturday's clash between London and Armagh at Newry.


We were pushed to one side and it wouldn't happen at a junior B club match

Armagh hurling manager Mattie Lennon

The delay was caused by a football challenge between Down and Cork at Pairc Esler which ran late after the managers insisted that fans and media leave the ground as they wanted it played completely behind closed doors.

The Ulster Council has apologised for the incident and have promised an investigation which is expected to result in the Down county board being hit with a hefty fan.

However, Down officials have insisted the incident wasn¿t their fault as they weren't given sufficient notice about Saturday's hurling game.

Armagh hurling manager Mattie Lennon was infuriated by the delay which came before his side's one-point defeat.


"We were pushed to one side and it wouldn't happen at a junior B club match," said Lennon.

"I have no problem with the match being played prior to our game. The problem is the management was not notified and that there were no facilities for our two teams.

He added: "Players are not stupid. They can sense that they are playing second fiddle and are being pushed in to play the game when they can.

"We had a good launch of the championship a few weeks ago and then all of a sudden we get this. I say action speaks louder than words.


Hurling players and supporters are difinitely treated as 2nd class citizens !

[slow corner back]

If Edwin Poots or the DUP were treating hurling in ulster like this there would be outrage from every nationalist politician who ever spoke into a microphone. Nicky Brennan is the president of the GAA and an all irleand medal winner at hurling. Its time he got his size nines on again and put his toe up the ass of the majority of county boards in ulster for the disgraceful treatment of hurling in the province.

[johnneycool]

If Edwin Poots or the DUP were treating hurling in ulster like this there would be outrage from every nationalist politician who ever spoke into a microphone. Nicky Brennan is the president of the GAA and an all irleand medal winner at hurling. Its time he got his size nines on again and put his toe up the ass of the majority of county boards in ulster for the disgraceful treatment of hurling in the province.

Sambo has a bit of a point, when the draw was made it wouldn't of taken a rocket scientist to realise that Derry hurlers were favourites to be in a semi final against Antrim, so who in the name of god set out the fixtures so that the likelhood of a clash with Derry footballers was very probable?

Now he can't really rant and rave about missing Karl McKeegan after refusing the saturday fixture when the only alternative would have been the sunday night!

I'm assuming the Ulster final is the next sunday in Newry (if Down beat London that is?)   

[Guillem2]

I'm assuming the Ulster final is the next sunday in Newry (if Down beat London that is?)   

Time for the annual debate with Johnnycool on the venue of the Ulster Final?

I think it was supposed to be played in Newry last year but Down failed to get past Derry at the first attempt in the semi final.

There's no way the final will be fixed for Newry this year after the way your county officials treated the hurlers of Armagh & London. Antrim or Derry won't be waiting outside the gates for the "behind closed doors" friendly to finish.

[Guillem2]

http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=95580

Down could be in trouble against London if nobody tells them that the games in Casement!

[johnneycool]

I'm assuming the Ulster final is the next sunday in Newry (if Down beat London that is?)   

Time for the annual debate with Johnnycool on the venue of the Ulster Final?


There's no way the final will be fixed for Newry this year after the way your county officials treated the hurlers of Armagh & London. Antrim or Derry won't be waiting outside the gates for the "behind closed doors" friendly to finish.

I could catalogue a load of issues and incidents where Antrim county board's treatment of visiting teams to Casement have been far from sterling over the years but there's no doubting what happened London and Armagh was a disgrace and embarrassment but not a surprise with the Down county board.

[youngfella]

Any news from casement?