Sigerson Cup Maynooth 0-13 MICE 0-6: Former Offaly and Limerick hurling manager Eamonn Cregan was highly critical of the new Kerry football manager Jack O'Connor after Mary Immaculate College of Education had lost to NUI Maynooth in the opening round of the Sigerson Cup in Limerick, yesterday.
Cregan, the MICE coach, said he was bitterly disappointed at O'Connor for having refused permission to Michael Frank Russell and Declan Quill to line out with his side. "Obviously, he wanted to keep them in cold storage for the opening of the National Football League on Sunday."
With Mark Breheny and Kieran Reilly in shooting form the issue was more or less decided at the break, when Maynooth led 0-9 to 0-4. Liam Sheehan claimed three of the losers' points. MICE were left with further ground to make up when substitute Alan Dillon and Karl Ennis tacked on two scores. And Tadgh Brosnhan, Noel Flynn and Breheny saw Maynooth through to face NUIG in the next round.
NUI MAYNOOTH: D Clarke; B Moran, M Foley, D Geraghty; K Ennis (0-1), M Carey, C Moran; V Corry, S Dwyer; M Breheny (0-5), M Gurn (0-1), N Flynn (0-1); T Brosnahan (0-1), K Reilly (0-3), N Farragher. Sub: A Dillon (0-1) for Farragher.
MICE: PJ Ryan; P Reale, L O'Connor, J Brosnahan; B Troy, T Stack, D O'Donovan; D Carey, D Coughlan; C Curtin, D Brouder, N Foley; L Sheehan (0-4), J O'Brien (0-2), B Curtin.
Referee: B White (Wexford).
Galway will wait anxiously to see if there is any official follow-up to allegations that dual player Kevin Brady played irregularly in Britain before Christmas.
Brady lined out with Galway as a wing back in last year's senior football championship and was recently at the centre of a dual row over whether he played a senior football challenge for Galway on the day he was due to captain Castlegar in the Galway uunder-21 hurling championship.
It is understood the county football management left him off the side to face Meath in Navan tomorrow pending clarification of his status.
