Clones venue for league replay

The GAA's Games Administration Committee last night confirmed Clones as the venue for the National Football League final replay between Meath and Derry on Saturday week.

The throw-in has also been set for 6.15 p.m. and the game is again expected to be broadcast live by RTE. The Monaghan venue can safely hold about 35,000 spectators and ticket availability should not be a problem.

Fears that the redevelopment building at Croke Park would fall further behind schedule had a significant influence on the decision, with the Hogan Stand reconstruction progressing more slowly than expected.

The referee will be Paddy Russell of Tipperary - Michael Curley of Galway officiated last Sunday. This change is in keeping with the referees' appointment committee decision that, in the case of a replay, a new referee would be appointed in all cases.

Meanwhile, fears that Waterford's Tony Browne may have picked up an injury during the All-Ireland 11s hurling tournament in Carlow last Saturday appear to be without substance as the build-up continues to their Munster championship opener against Tipperary on May 28th.

Browne, playing with his club Mount Sion, ended his participation early, but this was a precautionary measure, according to the club secretary Seamus Ryan. "It was nothing particularly serious," said Ryan, "and the idea anyway was to use as many panel members as we could and bring some of the younger players off the line."

At a different stage of recovery is Kerry's Maurice Fitzgerald - equally potent to his side's chances when at full strength. His return to the Kerry panel continues on a gradual basis but the indications are that he is not far off playing fitness.

It's now about four months since Fitzgerald suffered a leg injury in a challenge game in Killarney - another severe blow for the outstanding Kerry forward as it came just weeks after he had recovered from a four-month lay-off with a broken leg. He has yet to play for his club St Mary's and has so far held off training with the county panel.

Instead, Fitzgerald's return to fitness is being mostly carried out in his own time, with cycling featuring heavily in his schedule. It's still a little too soon, however, to predict whether he will return in time for Kerry's opening championship meeting with either Cork or Limerick on June 18th.

Elsewhere, Eugene Cloonan's appeal against a three-month suspension will be heard in Galway tonight. The Athenry forward was handed the ban by his own county hurling board following a club match with Castlebar last month. Either way, he won't be ruled out of Galway's championship opener against Roscommon on July 8th.

Also to be heard this evening is Birr's appeal against their expulsion from the Offaly hurling championship. They were thrown out last week for failing to fulfil the league championship fixture with St Rynagh's.

The indications are that Birr will be reinstated but whether or not they will be penalised the championship points for not fulfilling the fixture remains to be seen.

Carlow's second game in the Leinster hurling championship round-robin series will take place next Wednesday against Laois. This gives dual players Johnny Nevin and Johnny Kavanagh a little more time to spread their talents.

Meanwhile, reports that the revised sponsorship deal between Arnotts and Dublin may provoke objections from players have been dismissed by Dublin county secretary John Costello as "mischievous". According to Costello, the recent meeting with the Dublin panel was to discuss the new amateur status report and there will be no problem with the specifics of the deal with Arnotts.

The Kilkenny County Board has established a benefit fund for former hurling star PJ Delaney, who was left battling for his life following a vicious assault last year.

The 28-year-old, who was star of Kilkenny's All-Ireland victory of 1993 and who played in last year's final against Cork, is still under the care of doctors. He returned to work as an accountant on a part-time basis but he is not ready to resume full-time duties.

Cork and Kilkenny have agreed to stage a replay of last year's All-Ireland final at Nowlan Park next Tuesday as part of the fundraising drive. The fund has been set up in the AIB bank Kilkenny and the account number is 083 84614.