Carlow to host minor final replay

The GAA announced yesterday the minor football All-Ireland final replay between Dublin and Laois would be played at Dr Cullen Park, Carlow, on Sunday, October 12th.

In an enthralling encounter last Sunday, one that certainly eclipsed the senior final for entertainment value, the sides finished on 1-11 apiece thanks to a last-minute strike from Laois replacement David McCormack.

Laois manager Seán Dempsey now faces an anxious weekend as 11 of his panel, seven starters, will be involved in senior county championship matches over the weekend.

Cahir Healy and Barry Fitzgerald are playing for Portlaoise in the senior hurling final against Castletown while the others are involved in the football quarter-finals.

Of the two managers Dublin boss Ciarean O'Hare was the more disappointed with the result as he felt the contest was firmly "within our grasp". He wasn't far wrong as his team led for the majority of the second-half.

At least the knocks picked up by the influential Barry Kennedy and centre back Ger Brennan are not considered serious.

Kennedy kicked four points from play against Laois before being forced off with a slight ankle sprain while Brennan's departure in the first half was due to a dead leg. Both players are expected to be available for Sunday week.

With the under-21 All-Ireland final taking place on Saturday in Navan, involving Dublin and Tyrone, it was felt a double header would be organised. However this was ruled out by Croke Park due to the lack of preparation time for the minor sides.

Dr Cullen Park still remains an attractive, and accessible, venue for both counties. It has a 22,000 capacity and the ground completed a a1.17 million upgrade to its facilities this summer.

Meanwhile, Irish International Rules team manager, John O'Keefe, will name the remainder of his panel to tour Australia today in Croke Park.

Hugh Kenny from Baltinglass club, a former Railway Cup star and All-Ireland medal winner, has been appointed by the GAA County Committee in Wicklow as the new manager of the county senior team.

He takes over from former Dublin goalkeeper John O'Leary, who withdrew from the interview process after serving two years as team boss.

O'Neills sports company and TG4 announced yesterday that they are to sponsor the inaugural ladies football All-star awards ceremony on Saturday November 15th in Citywest hotel.

"In the last five years we have trebled are numbers in ladies' football," said chief executive of the Ladies GAA Helen O'Rourke.

"The underage and club structure has grown over the last few years from under-12 right up to adult level. There is over 900 clubs in the country, it seems to be flying at the moment."

She also added that the meeting of reigning champions Mayo and Dublin, with its massive playing base, in this Sunday's All-Ireland final, is the ideal marketing tool for the organisation.

"At the beginning of the year if you were to ask me who I would like to see in the final, for crowd wise and everything, it would be Dublin and Mayo," she said.

Dublin manager Tommy Lyons has deferred naming his starting 15 for Saturday's under-21 All-Ireland final against Tyrone, in Navan, due to injuries to David O'Callaghan and Shane Walsh.

O'Callaghan, who made his senior debut in the championship against Louth in June, is suffering from a trapped nerve while Shane Walsh is hoping to recover from a shoulder injury. A team will be announced on Thursday evening.