GAA:Severe weather conditions and frozen pitches forced the cancellation of all six Dr McKenna Cup fixtures in Ulster and, though several other games around the country were also affected, there was still a busy schedule for the opening weekend of the new GAA season.
The Dr McKenna Cup fixtures have been rescheduled for the weekend of January 222nd23rd.
In the O’Byrne Cup two games were lost to the weather; the Offaly v DCU match at Ferbane and the Meath v UCD game at Navan were called off due to unplayable pitches.
Westmeath’s game against Dublin was moved from Cusack Park to St Loman’s in Mullingar. However referee Fergal Kelly then called the game off at 1.20pm as the pitch was frozen. The game will now take place next Tuesday with an 8pm throw-in.
Four O'Byrne Cup matches survived the elements with Carlow running out 5-13 to 0-08 winners over Kilkenny and Kildare beat Longford 0-16 to 0-08. Wicklow travelled to Laois and came away with a narrow 1-10 to 1-09 win over their hosts. Louth were too strong for Athlone IT, winning 2-15 to 0-04.
The four McGrath Cup fixtures in Munster were unaffected by the weather while the Kehoe Cup hurling fixture between Fingal and Trinity ended in a 2-11 to 1-09 win for Fingal in Portmarnock.
Despite Cork starting with only two members of the All-Ireland winning side, they were still too much for WIT as they ran out convincing 0-19 to 0-05 winners in their McGrath Cup fixture.
Kerry were pushed to the wire before prevailing 1-14 to 1-13 against ITT. Tipperary won easy against UL, 2-14 to 0-13, while Clare won by a goal (1-13 to 0-13) against UCC.
In Connacht there were only two games in the FBD League with Galway 2-09 to 1-10 winners over Sligo. Tony Taylor got the goal for the home side with Seanie Armstrong netting twice for Galway. NUIG narrowly defeated IT Sligo 0-10.
The game between Leitrim and Mayo was moved from Ballinamore to Ballyhaunis before being called off due to the conditions, while the Roscommon versus GMIT was also postponed.
Weekend GAA Fixtures/Results
Dr McKenna Cup:
Armagh P-P Antrim
Derry P-P Monaghan
Tyrone P-P Donegal
Fermanagh P-P UUJ
Cavan P-P Queen's University
Down P-P St. Mary's
O'Byrne Cup:
Carlow 5-13 Kilkenny 0-08
Kildare 0-16 Longford 0-08
Laois 1-09 Wicklow 1-10
Louth 2-15 Athlone IT 0-04
Meath P-P UCD
Offaly P-P DCU
Westmeath P-P Dublin
Wexford 0-04 DIT 2-18
FBD League:
Leitrim P-P Mayo
NUIG 0-11 IT Sligo 0-10
Roscommon P-P GMIT
Sligo 1-10 Galway 2-09
McGrath Cup:
Cork 0-19 WIT 0-05
Kerry 1-14 ITT 1-13
Tipperary 2-14 UL 0-13
Clare 1-13 UCC 0-13
Keogh Cup:
Fingal 2-11 Trinity 1-09