GAELIC GAMES:LIKE THEIR opponents, league winners Dublin, Offaly hurlers have been hit by a wave of injuries in the run-up to the counties' championship meeting in Croke Park at the end of the month.
Three of last year’s championship defence and the entire full-back line that started the qualifiers defeat by Tipperary – David Franks, Paul Cleary and David Rigney – have been ruled out with respectively a pulled calf muscle, an Achilles tendon injury and a broken arm, sustained in training at the weekend.
Joe Brady, centre forward against Tipperary last July, is also out, recovering from a hip operation. On a more positive note three of the players who featured then, Joe Bergin, Derek Molloy and Daniel Currams, are expected to play despite having missed the challenge defeat by Limerick on Sunday.
In Ulster there was further bad news for Armagh football manager Paddy O’Rourke with Ronan Clarke, whose return from a long-term Achilles injury has been eagerly awaited all season, being ruled out of the championship opener with Down on Saturday week. This follows the withdrawal of Gareth Swift (broken collar bone).
Meanwhile, at the launch of the Munster championships in Mallow yesterday provincial chair Seán Walsh announced a number of promotional packages for the championship. There will also be in-store promotions in the outlets of GAA championship sponsors Centra and SuperValu as well as online advertising campaigns.
The Armagh County Board yesterday announced the redeveloped county venue in Armagh city has received naming sponsorship from the Morgan group.
MUNSTER FAMILY PACKAGES: Two adults and two children price €70, (€80 for finals); Terrace groups, minimum order 20. Buy 13 get 7 free €10 per ticket, (€15 for final). Available from clubs only for ticketed matches; Stand groups, minimum order 10. Buy eight get two free €25/€20 per ticket, (€30/€25 for Final). Available only from clubs (tickets in corner sections); Juvenile group, minimum order 20. Twenty children and two adults €60. All matches. Available only from clubs.
