Ballygunner determined to break Clare hoodoo

Waterford champions Ballygunner are one of a couple of teams trying to buck recent trends this weekend as the club championship starts to gather pace. Their Munster hurling championship meeting with St Joseph's Doora-Barefield at Walsh Park on Sunday is set to attract significant attention, not least because of Waterford's poor record against Clare opposition.

Ballygunner won their ninth county senior title last month by wearing down a determined Lismore side, but breaking down Clare sides has proved a little more difficult. They've lost to Wolfe Tones, Clarecastle and Sixmilebridge in recent years, including the 1996 Munster final (against Wolfe Tones).

There is a minor injury concern over influential forward and captain Billy O'Sullivan but the panel is expected to be at full strength, including other county representatives Paul Flynn, Stephen Frampton, Fergal Hartley and Alan Kirwan.

St Joseph's, however, remain a largely similar outfit to that which won the All-Ireland title in 1999 and their recent county win over Sixmilebridge showed a side with no shortage of hunger.

There's a similar battle against recent trends facing St Eunan's of Letterkenny when they play Cavan Gaels in the Ulster football championship at Breffni Park. The record of Donegal clubs in the Ulster championship is far from rosy, and it is 26 years since St Joseph's, a county side, defeated Castleblayney Faughs of Monaghan to win the Ulster title. The last county side to get to the final was Killybegs in 1991.

Brendan Devenney has been St Eunan's main scoring threat and his form for Ireland in the International Rules series against Australia is sure to add confidence. Manager Charlie Mulgrew has injury worries over goalkeeper Tony Blake (shoulder), Rory Cavanagh and John Harren (both ankle injuries) but all three are hoping to be fit.

Cavan Gaels are reporting a fully-fit panel, and though they are a similarly youthful side, they also have a highly-experienced county representative in Mickey Graham.

Elsewhere, the trend of first-time winners of county championships is one An Gaeltacht hope to extend on Sunday against Austin Stacks in the Kerry football final (Killarney, 3.0). Already this season has witnessed first titles going to Clarinbridge (Galway), Adare (Limerick) and O'Loughlin Gaels (Kilkenny) - albeit all in hurling.

Darragh ╙ SΘ made an early return from the International Series tour in Australia to rejoin the preparations and other Kerry representatives in the side are Tomβs ╙ SΘ, Dara ╙ CinnΘide and Aodhan MacGearailt.

As 11-time winners (the last being 1994), Austin Stacks are formidable opposition but a win for An Gaeltacht would put Darragh ╙ SΘ in line for the Kerry captaincy next season.

Meanwhile, the Dublin hurlers have already gained a minor advantage in their quest to stay in the top flight of the National League after it was decided by the toss of a coin to hold their play-off against Antrim in Parnell Park on Sunday week. The game was originally fixed for Newry.

It remains to be seen if the losers of the play-off will be relegated automatically, as opposed to the old system, whereby the Division One A play-off losers were given a second chance against the bottom county in Division One B (Laois) - and then a third chance against Division Two play-off winners Kerry.

Antrim will be managed in the short-term by Tom McLean, who has stepped in for the play-offs but has little intention of staying on beyond that. McLean has trained Dunloy since 1994 and has been involved with the county minors in recent years. He is joined by three selectors: club colleague Dick McKeague, Cushendall coach Alex Emerson and county hurling board chairman John McSparran of Cushendun.

Finally, the GPA player awards for September were announced yesterday and, not surprisingly, Galway's Declan Meehan picked up the award for football and Tipperary's Tommy Dunne took the hurling player of the month.

It was also announced that the Player of the Year awards will be presented at the GPA gala on Saturday, November 10th in the Montague Hotel in Portlaoise following the GPA a.g.m. that afternoon.

The closing date for application to the GPA Score for Scholars Scheme has been extended by one week to Friday, November 2nd to allow students more time to apply. A total of £20,000 is on offer, which is divided into eight scholarships worth £2,500 each over three years. Forms may still be obtained from all Carphone Warehouse stores.