September road

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

The next step in GAA on the airwaves: Make room for some player cam action

IT was at the weekend that the new, slimmed-down version of the GAA championship on TV really hit home for September Road, and, we suspect, many other fans.

After returning from a local game just before the 4pm throw-in at the Gaelic Grounds – and despite the fact we already knew Galway versus Cork wasn’t on the box – we turned it on regardless.

Just in case.

Twenty-four hours later, those supporting Waterford from their living rooms were also reaching for the remote (Midsomer Murders was on UTV at the same time).

While there aren’t as many live championship matches on television this year (due to the GAA trying to keep attendance figures steady), there seems to be more GAA-focused programming.

Cameras on helmets

Apart from the obvious such as The Sunday Game, there’s RTÉ’s The Committee Room, 3e’s cleverly disguised The GAA Show, Setanta’s match repeats, TG4’s weekend highlights and All-Ireland Gold series. Even Sky Sports News managed a discussion of London’s qualifier game with Waterford at the weekend.

And it’s raining sliotars and Gaelic footballs on radio, with Newstalk’s Sport Saturday and Sport Sunday, RTÉ’s Sunday Sport (see the difference!), Sport at 7, Off the Ball, Take Your Point, The Championship etc etc.

And that’s not to mention whatever local radio is doing.

Really, there’s only so many ex-players we can listen to – especially as most seem stuck in their fear of trying to say anything that might come back to haunt them.

To be fair, we’re really looking forward to see what TG4 brings to the table this week in the Under-21 hurling clashes. Dublin meet Wexford on Wednesday, with TG4 promising “player cam action”.

In America they’ve already experimented with putting tiny cameras on the helmets of NFL players. Now that’d be something we’ve love to see here.

Limerick worries

GOOD times for Limerick hurling. But headaches usually follow good times.

Limerick’s Under-21s are due to meet Clare in Ennis on Thursday week in the Munster semi-final – with the All-Ireland senior hurling quarter-final against Dublin a few days later.

Four senior first-teamers are on the Under-21 side.

“If the GAA are serious about burn-out they’ll have to put the game back,” said Limerick manager (magician?) Donal O’Grady. “It’s not my decision, it’s a decision for the Munster council, but maybe sense will prevail.”

At least the Limerick hurlers will be spared the other traditional pull on their resources.

Limerick’s footballers are due to meet Wexford that same weekend, but dual players Mark O’Riordan and Stephen Lucey have already committed to hurling.

MORE WOE FOR BRADLEYS

TOO cruel, both on the Bradleys and Derry. Yesterday morning, star forward Eoin Bradley injured his knee at training ahead of next Sunday’s Ulster final.

A scan will be needed today, but it’s suspected he’s torn the cruciate in his knee, the same injury that has kept his brother out of the Derry team this season.

It is a massive blow for Derry.

Minors: no old firm

HOW times are changing, and other such clichés.

Clare defeated Waterford yesterday in the Munster minor hurling final to secure back-to-back titles, beating the 2009 champions in the curtain-raiser in Cork.

Before the last three provincial minor finals, the previous 16 crowns were shared equally between Cork and Tipperary.

In fact, in the 81 Munster minor championships to date, Tipperary (36) and Cork (32) have claimed 68 titles.

But, what’s amazing is that, before last year’s final, there had never been a two-year period that didn’t feature either Cork or Tipp on the winners’ podium.

That streak was broken last year, and yesterday the dominance was shattered completely.

Leagues apart: Galway are destined for the final

GOOD news for Galway. By beating Cork at the weekend the Tribesmen are not just into the All-Ireland quarter-final, they’re guaranteed an All-Ireland final place.

At least, that’s what recent tradition suggests.

In every season since the start of the 21st century, at least one of the league finalists has qualified for the All-Ireland decider the following season.

And in each of the last eight seasons, the winner of the league decider has reached the All-Ireland final the following year.

Galway defeated Cork in the 2010 league final, and, with the same result in Saturday’s qualifier clash, it means the crystal ball says Galway will be still interested in the championship come September.

21st Century Hurling Finals

National League All-Ireland Championship

2000 Galway v Tipperary 2001 Tipperary v Galway

2001 Tipperary v Clare 2002 Kilkenny v Clare

2002 Kilkenny v Cork 2003 Kilkenny v Cork

2003 Kilkenny v Tipperary 2004 Cork v Kilkenny

2004 Galway v Waterford2005 Cork v Galway

2005 Kilkenny v Clare 2006 Kilkenny v Cork

2006 Kilkenny v Limerick 2007 Kilkenny v Limerick

2007 Waterford v Kilkenny 2008 Kilkenny v Waterford

2008 Tipperary v Galway 2009 Kilkenny v Tipperary

2009 Kilkenny v Tipperary 2010 Tipperary v Kilkenny

2010 Galway 2–22 1–17 Cork 2011 ???? v ????

All-Time Senior Hurling

Championship Appearances

1 C Ring (Cork) 65 (1939-63)

B Cummins (Tipp) 65 (1995-)

3 D Fitzgerald (Clare) 60 (1989-06)

4 T Browne (Waterford) 59 (1992-)

5 F Lohan (Clare) 58 (1995-2008)

J Dooley (Offaly) 58 (1982-2000)