September Road: Longford and Derry have a long history of playing football against each other - soccer that is, not Gaelic. But while Longford may have drawn the short straw last night in the draw for the third round of the football qualifiers, they will have no trouble getting motivated for the clash. They have a score to settle - and a big one at that.
In September, 2002 - in front of 80,000 spectators - Longford made their first All-Ireland semi-final appearance in 40 years, but the minor team were mauled by Derry - 3-13 to 0-3. Several players involved that day will line up again next weekend - including half backs Mark Lynch (Derry) and Declan Reilly (Longford). If Longford cause an upset, it'll will surely erase all the hurt of that long day in Croke Park four years ago.
Quote of the Weekend: "I got plenty of stick after the Dublin game. They said I was going over the hill, that I shouldn't be managing the team, that I should have gone early in the year." - Mick O'Dwyer after Laois beat Tyrone
Legends in great forum . . .
You know that question about what guests you would invite to dinner if you could ask anyone? How about Jack O'Shea, Seán Boylan, Mickey Harte, Jarlath Burns, Peter Canavan, Terrence 'Sambo' McNaughton and Tony Scullion - with Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh at the head of the table?
Course, you wouldn't get a word in edgeways, but the conversation would surely be great to listen to.
Campa Chormaic in Brantry, Co Tyrone - set up in memory of Cormac McAnallen - is now in its second year promoting Irish games and Irish language to 10- to 15-year-olds, and will run for two weeks from July 31st.
And the organisers are holding a GAA forum to be held in the Armagh City Hotel on Tuesday, August 1st - with the above list of legends. Tickets for the event cost £15 and are available from the Armagh City Hotel.
Park Live returns to our screens this week - but not on Sunday mornings. The second series will be broadcast live from Croke Park every Wednesday night for the next 10 weeks from 10pm.
Ger Gilroy is back at the helm and will be joined by Graham Geraghty, Dara Ó Cinnéide and Dessie Farrell in the first show - with the audience drawn from Oliver Plunketts/Eoghan Ruadh GAA club on Dublin's Navan Road.
