Intercounty football and hurling managers angry at the proposed introduction of some controversial match-day regulations for next season's National Leagues yesterday decided to raise the matter with their county boards.
When almost 30 intercounty managers and selectors turned up in Mullingar for a general meeting yesterday, there was some speculation they would issue a veiled threat to force the GAA to rescind the regulations, which include banishing selectors to the stands and confining managers to a small zone at their dug-outs.
But there was little sign of militancy in the air and, despite the dissatisfaction at the regulations and the failure to consult managers before they were introduced, they elected to pursue their grievances through the established channels.
"We're going through the proper channels," said Armagh's Joe Kernan, who chaired the meeting. "We will be sitting down with our chairmen and secretaries, and in the future we will be sitting down with Croke Park about this. We're not going to say much more, but it's obvious. Everything in these rules was just thrown on us.
"If we do sit down, everything can be sorted. When we talk to our county boards we can move it on from there. It's a time of the year when we could all be somewhere else rather than here, but I think the turnout shows the importance of this."
The managers did not form a body to represent them, but there were a number of calls for managers to turn up in large numbers when they meet Croke Park officials for a pre-season briefing session in mid-January.
n Dublin defender Peadar Andrews has announced his retirement from intercounty football. The St Brigid's man has been on the Dublin panel for a number of years, having been introduced to championship football by Tommy Carr in 1999, and won Leinster senior championship medals in 2002, 2005 and 2006.
However, he has failed to hold down a regular starting spot in Dublin's half-back line over the last couple of years and has decided to focus his energies solely on his club side, with whom he won a county title in 2003.
He also won an interprovincial medal with Leinster last year.
n Despite shooting a dozen wides, Coalisland edged into the January 1st final of the Ulster Minor Football competition at St Paul's in Belfast yesterday by defeating Killybegs 0-9 to 0-6.
In a highly entertaining game of fast-flowing football both teams stressed every muscle in pursuit of victory. Even though misses were plentiful - the winners had 12 and the losers eight - the momentum never fell.
Defences were mostly on top, but the more direct football of Coalisland was in contrast to the "Donegal-style" passing movements of Killybegs.
Despite plenty of good football, scores were scarce during the opening half on a day that was perfect for the game.
At the interval Killybegs led by 0-3 to 0-2, all the scores coming from free-kicks. Goalmouth misses were evident at both ends, Killybegs's sturdy goalkeeper Cillian Byrne bringing off a number of excellent saves.
The second period blossomed into a game of attacking football and after lively full-forward Ronan Dunne increased the Killybegs lead to two points, Brian Toner and Eoghan Carberry levelled the argument for the first time after 36 minutes.
Toner came more into the game, though his marker, Séamie Coleman, also turned in another fine performance. It was centre-back Coleman who rifled over arguably the score of the match as he took a pass from Paul McGinley and soloed in to slot a point from around 30 metres on 38 minutes.
Brian McCabe brought his tally to four points from frees a minute later, to send the Donegal champions 0-6 to 0-4 ahead, but, remarkably, that was their last score despite constant attacks.
Carberry and Thornton levelled before Toner in the 54th minute nosed Coalisland in front.
COALISLAND: P Donnelly; L O'Neill, K Corr, S Hughes; S Gavin (0-1), L Wylie, S McNally; P Lyons, S Curran (0-1); N Fox, B Toner (0-3, one free), P McNiece; E Carberry (0-2), T O'Hagan, D Thornton (0-2, one 45).
KILLYBEGS: C Byrne; D O'Donnell, S Boyle, B Byrne; D Ainsworth, S Coleman (0-1), J Noctor; L McNern, C Tully; M Mullin, P McGinley, R McNelis; B McCabe (0-4, all frees), R Dunne (0-1), P Molloy. Subs: R Boyle for McNelis, inj (half-time), G Boyle for Mullin (46).
Referee: C Broderick (Down).
