Sport

Boylan gets go-ahead for his 22nd year

GAA: The football epitaph of one of the great managers will have to wait as Seán Boylan was comfortably ratified as the Meath…

Tue Nov 04 2003 - 00:00

GAA: The football epitaph of one of the great managers will have to wait as Seán Boylan was comfortably ratified as the Meath football manager for the 22nd year, last night, reports Gavin Cummiskey.

The result confines Dunshaughlin manager Eamonn Barry to his second consecutive defeat with Boylan strengthening his role, as he comfortably stretched the 19-vote margin of last year to win out 69 to 19.

Some strange decisions by Barry in the run-up to the vote by the clubs and county officers may have contributed to the large margin of defeat. Last month he released a statement denying he had any interest in the Westmeath job, while he claimed a smear campaign was being waged against him inside and outside of the county.

Despite a disappointing summer for Meath that saw them stumble out of the championship after defeats to Kildare and Fermanagh, the loyalty for the man who has delivered four All-Ireland titles appears to be as strong as ever.

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Meanwhile, the Munster Council will make a decision tonight over whether to reschedule next Sunday's provincial club championship semi-final between Patrickswell and the Waterford champions. Ballygunner and Mount Sion drew the county final last Sunday and with the replay set for this Saturday, both clubs voiced their concerns about having to play the Limerick champions just 24 hours later.

"We have sent a request for a postponement on to the Munster Council and are optimistic that the situation can be resolved adequately," said Waterford County Board secretary Seamus Grant.

Munster Council chairman Fr Seamus Gardiner understands Waterford's plight but he highlighted the need to take into consideration the views of Patrickswell. This is where a problem arises, as Patrickswell secretary Jim O'Herlihy explained: "We have no problem with the match being put back a week to facilitate the Waterford champions, so long as the Munster final is also put back, so we have two weeks to prepare for it, presuming of course we win."

They have also requested that the All-Ireland quarter-final, to be played in London on December 7th, be rescheduled for December 14th. If the Munster Council agrees to change the final, from Sunday, November 23rd to the 30th, it means that both the football and hurling provincial deciders will be on the same day. A decision is expected this evening.

HOCKEY: Dublin City University, who won the Mauritius Cup for the first time last year, and Trinity, the Chilean Cup holders, open the defence of their intervarsity titles in Dublin today. The tournament, which will be played at the Royal College of Surgeons' ground in Dardistown and Trinity's playing fields in Santry, concludes tomorrow afternoon with the finals, both of which will be played in Santry.

League form suggests that UCD should be favourites in the women's competition to regain the trophy they lost last year. Trinity, who beat UCC on penalty strokes in the final, are struggling on the league front, their worst defeat coming on Saturday when they lost 10-0 to Old Alexandra. UCC and University of Limerick should provide a strong Munster challenge.

CHILEAN CUP (women) Pool A: Trinity, DCU, UCD, University of Ulster, NUIG. Pool B: UCC, Queens, RCSI, Univ of Limerick. Today (at Santry): NUIG v UCD, 10.10; RCSI v Univ of Limerick, 12.30; Trinity v UCD, 2.50; Univ of Limerick v UCC, 4.0. Today (at Dardistown): DCU v Trinity, 9.0; UCC v Queens, 11.20; Univ of Ulster v DCU, 1.40; NUIG v Univ of Ulster, 5.0.

MAURITIUS CUP (men) Pool A: DCU, Trinity, Queens, NUIG, Univ of Limerick. Pool B: UCD, UCC, RCSI, University of Ulster. Today (at Santry): NUIG v Queens, 9.0; UCC v Univ of Ulster, 11.20; Queens v DCU, 1.40; Trinity v DCU, 5.0. Today (at Dardistown): Trinity v Univ of Limerick, 10.10; RCSI v UCD, 12.30; Univ of Limerick v NUIG, 2.50; RCSI v UCC, 5.0.