Extra game 'a huge benefit' Gaelic Games News round-up

Armagh still have no preference for who they meet in their All-Ireland semi-final after watching Monday's drawn encounter between Donegal and Galway - the winners of which play the title-holders on August 31st.

"I feel that it's irrelevant who you get next, because there's not going to be any great difference in standard at this stage," says Armagh captain Kieran McGeeney.

"And normally it might be a problem not knowing who you face next for another week, but when you get to the last four you just know that you have to be at your best to win."

McGeeney also suggested the extra game should in fact be a bonus to the county that eventually comes through to face the All-Ireland champions.

"I'd say it will be a huge benefit. I know Galway hadn't played in four weeks since winning Connacht and they will learn a lot more from the replay. And the same with Donegal if they come through."

Even though Armagh are just two games away from successfully defending their All-Ireland title - and becoming the first county to do so since Cork's back-to-back of 1989 and 1990 - McGeeney's focus remains entirely on the semi-final.

"I would still never think about defending the title. It's only the semi-final I'm thinking about. It does sound clichéd to a lot of people, but if you think beyond the game ahead for one second you are in trouble.

"I mean Galway or Donegal both have great forward lines. For us to look beyond either of those two teams would be a wee bit careless. We know we have to step it up again from our last game no matter who we play next."

Yet, confidence is growing within the Armagh team, even if the qualifier route was initially an unwanted diversion: "People who saw us against Waterford and Antrim said we weren't playing well," admits McGeeney, "but we felt at that stage we were playing quite well.

"It's just teams have got stronger the whole way through, but those so-called weaker teams have been improving by getting more games too, so those games were never easy for us. But I still feel that losing to Monaghan was no help. We have turned it around, but it's very hard to say there's been more pluses than minuses.

"People have been saying it's suited us to go through the back door system, but I can guarantee you if you had asked the Monday morning after losing to Monaghan did it suit us we would have said 'no way'."

The Armagh captain was present in Cahirciveen, Co Kerry yesterday for the announcement of a €1.34million grant from the Irish Sports Council towards GAA programmes aimed at increasing participation among school-aged children.

It brings to €4.13 million the total allocated to the GAA by the Sports Council since the introduction in 2001 of the special budget measure for the encouragement of greater underage participation in the three major field sports - soccer, rugby and gaelic games. Part of McGeeney's work with the Sports Council is the administration of these grants.

The latest grant allocation was announced at the GAA summer camp in the town, one of the growing numbers now covering all 32 counties. Participation in the camps rose to 54,000 in 2002, and are increasing by 10 per cent annually. Girls account for almost 25 per cent of those attending the camps.

The Sports Council has agreed a detailed programme of eight projects with the GAA, including schools of excellence, games promotion officers, games managers in Munster and Connacht, and assistance to second level schools. The Designated Areas Scheme will continue in 2003 and Cumann Na mBunscoil will also benefit from Sports Council funding.

Saturday

All-Ireland Under-21 B HC Semi-final: Mayo v Armagh, Enniskillen, 3.30, F Smith (Meath).

All-Ireland Minor B HC Quarter-final: Meath v Wicklow, Clane, 3.30, D O'Donovan (Dublin).

Seniors Football Tournament: Round One: Group A: Donegal v Leitrim, Ballyshannon, 4.0, M Duffy (Sligo); Mayo v Tipperary, Claremorris, 4.0, M Gibbons (Galway). Group B: Antrim v Armagh, Corrigan Park, 4.0, C Reynolds (Down); Down v Dublin, Newry, 6.0, J Murray (Antrim).

Sunday

All-Ireland SHC Semi-final: Cork v Wexford, Croke Park, 3.30, A Mac Suibhne (Dublin).

All-Ireland MHC Semi-final: Tipperary v Galway, Croke Park, 1.45, E Morris (Dublin).

All-Ireland SFC Quarter-final replay: Galway v Donegal, Castlebar, 5.30, P Russell (Tipperary). Extra time if necessary.

Seniors Hurling Tournament: Kerry v Tipperary, Lixnaw, 7.0, D O'Driscoll (Limerick).