College issue to get third degree

Tyrone's McKenna Cup controversy:The Ulster Council meets tonight in special session to consider what action to take in relation to the controversy that arose over Tyrone's use of college players in Sunday's Dr McKenna Cup defeat of Derry.

Provincial secretary Danny Murphy said yesterday a special meeting would be convened.

"We're awaiting the referee's report and won't be making any comment ahead of the meeting," he added.

In the meantime, Tyrone's match with Cavan, scheduled for next weekend, has been put on hold pending the outcome of this evening's meeting.

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte is insistent the players - Brendan Boggs, Colm Cavanagh and Damien McCaul from UUJ and Cathal McCarron of St Mary's - were entitled to opt for their county rather than their college.

But the McKenna Cup regulations are quite clear on the issue of availability.

Rules one and four state university sides have first call on players and players can play for only one team.

The four Tyrone players were all listed in their college panels, submitted by deadline last month.

In the event the absence of the three didn't harm UUJ's chances, as they recorded a big win over Down - a number of whose under-21s they included - but St Mary's went down to Monaghan.

The presence of third-level colleges in the provincial secondary competitions has triggered angry reactions this year, some managers criticising the competitions, others unhappy at sudden withdrawals by college teams and, in Harte's case, disputing the right of first pick accorded to them.

But in two of the provinces most affected by third-level participation there has been no major rethinking of the format.

"We would see it as quite a successful operation," said Murphy of the Ulster experience. "Most of the matches have been competitive.

"Our thinking was that both counties and colleges are looking for games in January and that if we arranged the competition in a league format we could guarantee everyone three games. It's been very successful, nearly too successful in that it's become so competitive."

Leinster's O'Byrne Cup and Shield have been caused some problems, with two forfeits.

Dundalk IT and Sigerson holders Dublin City University withdrew from fixtures, Dundalk's forfeit prompting the Wexford manager Paul Bealin to complain about his team's loss of match practice, and DCU citing the pressure being exerted on players to line out with their counties.

"You'd have to balance that with the loyalty shown by other colleges," said Leinster secretary Michael Delaney. "It's not so long ago that UCD won the Walsh Cup (senior hurling). If third-level teams are having problems it's up to them to address them, but we'll also have to examine the situation a little more closely."

One county manager not too exercised over the situation governing college players is Armagh's Joe Kernan.

"I'm in big trouble everywhere," he said yesterday. "Besides the six college players, I have seven out with Crossmaglen (ahead of next month's All-Ireland club semi-finals) as well as two with long-term injury.

"But we've played two and won two so I'm happy with it (the McKenna Cup). It's a good opportunity to get us playing competitively, even if it's not the most serious competition we'll play this year.

"I'd prefer to have the college players available, but the plus for us is that they're playing well with their colleges."

Kernan added there were some advantages to having to improvise at this time of year: "You don't have to play in this if you don't want to, but even with so many withdrawals there's a good chance to look at other players."