Limerick inquiry adds to vote confusion

Further confusion over last weekend's Congress vote to open Croke Park has emerged following Limerick's investigation into the split vote caused by one of their county board executives.

Padraig O Riain appeared before the county board executive and defended his vote against the motion on the basis that he was at Congress as Limerick's elected representative to central council and not as a Limerick delegate. The delegates had agreed in advance to vote in favour of the Roscommon motion, but O Riain then surprised many by voting against it.

According to county board chairman Donal Fitzgibbon, it was believed that O Riain was part of the 10-strong Limerick delegation and he was expected to vote with them. He also added that if O Riain had informed him that he was there as a central council delegate, then Limerick would have brought an extra delegate with them to make up their allowed numbers. That vote could have successfully passed the motion.

Elsewhere, Louth county board have written to Croke Park to express their disappointment at the decision to bring them into a National Football League (NFL) relegation play-off in Division 1A. They were hoping their two games cancelled because of the foot-and-mouth outbreak could be refixed, but as the bottom-placed team, they will now face the team that finishes third from bottom to decide who plays division one football next season. The second last team will be automatically relegated.

"This is not what we thought would happen and we are disappointed," said county chairman Pat Toner. "But that decision appears to be final and there doesn't seem to be much chance or much hope of reversing it at this stage."

Meanwhile, Derry have named a near full-strength team for Sunday's concluding NFL Division 1B game against Fermanagh at Enniskillen. Their Bellaghy players return to the team for the first time since October, the most significant being corner forward Gary Diamond.

Derry are currently third and are still in a position to make one of the two remaining playoff berths. If they win and second-placed Sligo lose, second place will be decided on score average. Sligo currently have an advantage of .154, although Derry don't regard a runner's-up spot as a priority.

"A semi-final place is probably something we could do without right now," says Derry PRO Gerry Donnelly. "We are just four weeks away from our first championship match and there is a feeling that last year's extended league run left us a little flat by the time we lost the Ulster final. But this is a good team and a few players still want to make their mark ahead of the championship."

Dublin hurling manager Kevin Fennelly has Tomas McGrane and Stephen Perkins back for Sunday's home match with Limerick, while Shane Martin replaces Tommy Moore.

Crossmolina have made one adjustment ahead of their All-Ireland club football final against Nemo Rangers at Croke Park on Monday. Kieran McDonald returns from injury and Peadar Gardiner moves from attack to wing back. Francis Costello is ruled out.