Kerry’s hurling win ‘justified’ playoff system, says Feargal McGill

Kerry’s achievement in defeating Antrim to reach Division One B of the hurling league has according to the GAA vindicated the decision to make promotion dependent on a playoff with the bottom team in the first division.

Feargal McGill, the association’s head of games administration, who was on the committee that devised the league structure, believes the system has proved its worth despite criticisms that counties who win their division should be promoted without the need of further playoffs.

“I would say that the format has justified itself in that Kerry have fulfilled what we felt was the key to promotion – winning your way up. A year ago they lost heavily to Offaly in last year’s playoff and I think they’ve proved they’re ready for the higher division now.

“Kerry has always been a progressive county in developing hurling and I think it’s a great reflection of the work done that they’ve proved beyond doubt their readiness to play in Division One.”

Top flight

The last time the county played in the top flight was 20 years ago and amongst the highlights of that period was when they defeated then All-Ireland champions Clare in Tralee in their first match after promotion.

Elsewhere, Cork hurlers are expected to be near full strength for the weekend’s league semi-final against Dublin in Nowlan Park, Kilkenny. Centre back Mark Ellis may possibly be in contention to return to the team and Alan Cadogan, who missed the last match against Wexford, and Aidan Walsh have both recovered from injuries. “Mark’s hamstring is still making him doubtful,” said manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy, “but we’ll have a look at him later in the week and see how he is. Right now, he’s doubtful but he may be able to start on the bench.”

Meanwhile, Donegal’s All Star full back Neil McGee has admitted that the team’s heavy training schedule meant they ran out of steam in Sunday’s league semi-final against Cork.

“We went out to win the game, but I suppose it’s in the mindset of players that it’s not the most important thing, particularly for us when the championship’s only down the line. Make no doubt about it, we went out to win the game and we started very well – probably ran out of steam after about 20 or 25 minutes and that showed there. We were a bit leggy then in the last 10-15 minutes of the first half.”

He said the proximity of the county’s first defence of their Ulster title meant they had already gone into championship training.

“We’ve been training hard, this past two or three weeks. We’re just building now, building nicely for Tyrone. It’s four or five weeks away.”

The counties met at the same stage two years ago, also in Ballybofey and they beat Tyrone by six points, although Mickey Harte’s team progressed further in that year’s championship, reaching the All-Ireland semi-finals.

Donegal had a big win over Tyrone in the recent league match, which McGee feels will give his opponents the element of surprise going into the championship. "Yes and Mickey Harte is cute enough too. In Ulster, the way we take it, you take it game by game."

The death has been taken place of former Tyrone footballer and Fermanagh manager Pat King. From Trillick, he played for the Tyrone team that won the Ulster championship in 1973. A retired teacher, he taught in Lisnaskea having moved to Fermanagh and managed that county in the 1990s, winning the 1996 All-Ireland B title.