Category Archives: SPORT

DANNY MURPHY RIP

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Danny Murphy  Pic. Ulster GAA

DEATH OF GAA ULSTER COUNCIL SECRETARY

Northern Standard  Thursday 8th December

The GAA in Ulster is mourning the loss of the Ulster Council Secretary and Chief Executive Danny Murphy, who died yesterday (Wednesday) at the age of 67. He stood down from his role earlier this year because of ill health but was to remain in the post until February 2017. Mr Murphy’s funeral Mass will take place today Saturday 10th December at 12 noon in St Mary’s Church, Burren, near Newry. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

Past President of the Ulster Council Martin McAviney from Ballybay said Danny had acted as a mentor to him in his thirty years’ involvement with the Council. He paid tribute to Mr Murphy who he said was a personal friend and had travelled with him to many places throughout the province on GAA business.

“He was a man of absolute honesty and integrity. He had the foresight to bring the Ulster Council to a whole new level in the sporting world, in areas such as coaching, protection issues and above all his role in the peace process since the signing of the Good Friday agreement in 1998. He was able to bring everyone with him when it came to taking initiatives. His legacy is that there is now a structure in place in Ulster GAA that is fit for purpose in the modern era”, he said.

Mr McAviney said the late Mr Murphy had a good knowledge of legal issues such as ownership of property. He also knew the fine details of the GAA rule book. He continued: “My last duty as President of the Ulster Council was to accompany Danny at the grounds awards last year. He was a guiding light for many people at club level. He was a very fair man, who always did things by getting agreement on them. His belief was that the only way of going forward was to ask people to take ownership of projects”.

The esteem in which he was held by other sports can be judged by the responses from organisations such as Ulster Rugby and the Irish Football Association. Irish FA Chief Executive Patrick Nelson said: “I got to know Danny very well and I enjoyed working with him. I was often able to count on his wise counsel.

“He was keen for the various sporting organisations in Northern Ireland to work together to improve facilities for all sports.”

The North’s First Minister Arlene Foster and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said in a statement: “Danny Murphy made a colossal contribution to sport over many years and his death will leave a massive void. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this difficult time.”

SDLP South Down MP Margaret Ritchie said: “Danny was a powerful force for reconciliation on the island of Ireland, and between Britain and Ireland. He made an enormous contribution to the professionalism of the GAA in Ulster.

Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Comhairle Uladh, Michael Hasson said: “It was with profound sadness that we heard of Danny’s passing. We know that this sorrow is felt by all Gaels in Ulster, Ireland and throughout the wider GAA world. Danny was an outstanding leader who provided unstinting dedication to the GAA in Ulster for over 35 years. His contribution to every aspect of the GAA, from his initial involvement with St Mary’s GAC, Burren, his beloved County Down and his immense commitment to Comhairle Uladh brought unprecedented success to every unit of the Association he was involved in.”

 

ONLY ONE WIMBLEDON FC

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Six years ago I published this article with my views on Franchise. The clubs did not face each other that year as MK lost in the FA Cup first round. They did come up against each other in the Cup in 2012 with MK wining at home 2-1. How things have changed in the intervening period. On Saturday the Milton Keynes lot will take on AFC Wimbledon at their home place some sixty miles from Wimbledon. This time the sides are meeting in League One and the Real Dons are higher up the table than the other lot. So I will go there on Saturday to follow my team on the basis that they deserve our support especially after their recent successes. But I will contribute as little as I can in terms of spending at the MK base.

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AFC Wimbledon Supporters Pic: Michael Fisher

November 10th 2010: There’s Only One Wimbledon FC

Anyone who knows me will realise I am a Wimbledon supporter. That includes Hot Press readers thanks to Eamonn McCann’s article in the latest edition. The conversation sometimes starts along the lines of “you mean MK Dons?”. It’s a phrase I and many others cannot bear mentioning because of the way a once proud football club which won the FA Cup thanks to Lawrie Sanchez in 1988 v Liverpool was allowed by the football authorities to fold and move some sixty miles away to Buckinghamshire. There were plans at the time for the club to transfer to my home town of Dublin (or possibly even Belfast where I live). But I would not have gone to watch them in either place as I could not regard them as Wimbledon FC. I have followed the Dons since their days as amateurs in the Isthmian League. For me, their first major success was in winning the FA Amateur Cup final at Wembley in 1963 when they beat local rivals Suttton United 4-2.

UPDATE: ***Sutton United have been drawn at home to AFC Wimbledon in the 3rd round of the 2017 FA Cup next month***

Fast forward to the FA Cup 2nd round draw live on ITV on Sunday (November 7th 2010), presented by Jim Rosental, with whom I used to work in BBC Radio Birmingham. In fact I persuaded him to add to the station’s coverage of six league clubs by reporting a “minor match of the day”. I was motivated by the fact that Wimbledon were in the Southern League premier division at the time (1975) and the very first match of the new season was Nuneaton (at the edge of the station’s area) versus Wimbledon. The Dons won and Jim back-announced my report by saying “Mike Fisher, bit of a Wimbledon supporter himself”! Sunday’s draw has produced the possibility of a tie between AFC Wimbledon and the franchise outfit. But first both sides have to win replays. Headlines in some media have portrayed this as a glamour tie and one which the TV companies would no doubt seek to cover. But judging by the mood on the ground as expressed in blogs and on twitter, many AFCW fans would prefer such a clash not to happen. As a founder member of the Dons Trust I agree. AFC Wimbledon are not yet ready to meet the club that stole the Wimbledon heritage and wrapped themselves up in the comforts of league status. AFCW have started from scratch, even going back to the roots at Wimbledon Common where they began trials for players. Now the club is at an exciting stage, contenders for promotion to the Football League. But I would be glad enough to meet MK when we get there, in another year or two and who knows, maybe they will even be relegated to division two. So my first thoughts are that I will be delighted to see either Stevenage or Ebbsfleet or even both of them progress in the Cup. I will return to this issue after the replays.

If it does turn out to be AFCW v MK Dons then the club I am sure will be very professional in its response, as indicated in the statement at [new window] http://www.afcwimbledon.co.uk . However the real fans will have to decide. Do they boycott the game (which would mean the club would lose badly needed revenue) or if they do attend, how do they behave towards the visitors? Various options have been discussed so far, but I think that if this fixture is held, then my best approach as a season ticket holder would be to purchase a ticket and then not go to the game or else attend but not take a place on the terrace or in the stand. Anyway the 1st round replays have to be held before the Dons fans face what could be some difficult choices. Neutrals have a lot of sympathy for them and nothing must be done by supporters at Kingsmeadow that would alienate the wider soccer fraternity.

KILLEEVAN GAA HISTORY

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ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF KILLEEVAN GAA AND PARISH

Michael Fisher

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JP Graham signs the book

John Patrick (JP) Graham from Killeevan is best known for his reports and commentaries on GAA matters. But the journalist is also a local historian. Earlier this year he produced a wide-ranging history of his local Club and parish entitled: “Killeevan Sarsfields GFC: A Centenary History 1915-2015 and a Parish Record”. The book (price €20) has been re-launched in time for the Christmas market and makes an ideal gift for those who have left the area and are living away from home, to remind them of their roots.

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GAA Director General Paraic Duffy at the launch of the book

JP set out to record and document the efforts of the founding fathers and the successive generations of people who contributed to the parish. The Director General of the GAA, Paraic Duffy, described the publication as very impressive. He paid tribute to the author for his ‘labour of love’ and for his unfailing, lifelong commitment to the GAA at club and county level. The book is dedicated to JP’s grandson and godson, Aaron Patrick Graham and his other five grandchildren are included in that dedication.

This book traces the story of Killeevan Sarsfields from its foundation back in 1915 when the club was formed by amalgamating the two clubs that existed in the parish at that time, Greenan’s Cross Tir na nOgs and Ture Davitts. The centenary publication traces the development of the club through its glory years in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s when Killeevan were regarded as Kings, winning the Monaghan senior double of league and championship in 1944. Thereafter the club enjoyed something of a chequered history and went out of existence for one year. But they rose from the ashes to win the intermediate double in 1974 and enjoyed further success in junior ranks in the 1990s.

The official opening of Sarsfield Park in 1983 was a highlight and the book covers in some detail the last couple of decades. Success on the field proved elusive, but a major infrastructural development programme was completed in time for the centenary year. Other aspects of parish history and life are included, with sections on Newbliss village and the development of education in the parish, including records from the old Killeevan National School.

In his introduction JP Graham says he has “tried to give a flavour of all aspects of club activity and the people involved…with a special emphasis on the games and the players. I have also tried to factor in some aspects of the social life of Killeevan club and parish, because the club is central to the parish and touches practically every family in the area”.

The book (published by R&S Printers Monaghan) contains 370 pages and is on sale in Martin’s Londis, Newbliss, Matthews of Clones, and the Eason Bookshop, Monaghan, or directly from the author.

Is leabhar iontach shuimiúil é an leabhar seo, faigh ceann roimh a imionn siad go léir. Maith thú J.P. as an obair iontach a chuir tú isteach.

TITLE FIGHT CANCELLED

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TITLE FIGHT CANCELLED

Michael Fisher     Northern Standard  Thursday 1st December 2016

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Christina McMahon in Carrickmacross    Pic. Michael Fisher

‘Lightning’ Christina McMahon was due to be in the ring this Saturday in one of the toughest challenges in her career. But instead the professional boxer will be at home in Carrickmacross after the fight was cancelled. She told he supporters on her Facebook page she had received “unfortunate news that my opponent pulled out. No surprise in my world of professional boxing.” The boxer displayed her resilience saying that she wa snow fine, but had been “in a state of shock and annoyance” when the news reached her. Christina commented: “Its a tough cruel game and just too late to sort another opponent for the show, therefore the show is cancelled. Thank you for tremendous support and help. We won’t give up without a fight.”

The boxer thanked Frank Stacey of FS Promotions for trying to put the show on at the National Stadium in Dublin, the other boxers who had been willing to get in and box on the night and everyone who had already bought tickets to support her. 
Anyone who purchased a ticket (€40 for the gallery and €65 for ringside) was promised a refund via Paddy Kwan (087)9907876.

“This is not the end of the journey, just a frustrating situation that will look small in the years to come”, Christina said. She also expressed her appreciation to Shivana Inalsingh of the WBA and female boxing Advocate Eddie Montalvo for working hard with Frank Stacey on alternative options.

“Lightning” was due to face “Triple L” Linda Laura Lecca from Peru for the vacant World Boxing Association female flyweight title. 43 year-old McMahon controversially lost in Mexico to Zulina Muñoz in March and was afterwards promised a rematch. With the WBC continuing to stall on a return bout, her husband and coach Frick McMahon revealed in irishboxing.com a list of alleged indiscretions by the governing body, including glove irregularities, anti-doping procedural failings, and a failure to review the scorecards correctly. Christina was then informed by the WBC she had been suspended by that organization, but remains licensed by the Boxing Union of Ireland.

‘LIGHTNING’ STRUCK BY SUSPENSION

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Christina McMahon was given a warm reception in Carrickmacross last year after her WBC interim bantamweight title win  Pic. Michael Fisher

CHRISTINA MCMAHON SUSPENDED BY BOXING REGULATOR

Michael Fisher    Northern Standard  Thursday 25th August 2016 p.5

Carrickmacross boxer ‘Lightning’ Christina McMahon has been suspended by the World Boxing Council after she gave interviews about a number of concerns she had before, during and after her WBC super flyweight title challenge against Zulina Munoz in Mexico in March. She was controversially defeated by Munoz on points. Her husband and manager Frick recently revealed evidence of what he claims was glove tampering and improper anti-doping procedures in addition to dubious scorecards.

Christina McMahon still ranks as the WBC interim World Bantamweight Champion received a Facebook message yesterday (Wednesday) from the Chair of the WBC Female Championship Committee Malte Müller-Michaelis informing her of her suspension in the wake of revelations to a number of media outlets which cast serious doubt over the result of the fight in Juarez. She made her comments during the Olympic Games in Rio, when an Irish boxer Michael Conlan was judged to have been beaten by a Russian opponent.

WE’RE GOING UP!

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Fourteen years ago the mandarins of the Football Association took away our football club Wimbledon FC. They said it was not in the wider interest of football to remain in London. Well fast forward to 2016 and a crowd of nearly 60,000 at Wembley, over one-third of them supporting AFC WIMBLEDON. A 2-0 win against Plymouth Argyle has ensured that the real Dons will be in League One next season. Among their opponents will be Franchise FC from Milton Keynes who were allowed to take our club away and set it up 60 miles away from SW19. Now you have the answer. Come on you Dons (Scotland excepted)! Here is a great flavour of the occasion from BBC Radio London: AFC WIMBLEDON

WOMBLE TIL I DIE

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On the night AFC Wimbledon have qualified for the play-off final at Wembley against Plymouth on May 30th for promotion to League One of the English football league, I was delighted to watch this video by KICK which turned up on the Guardian Sport Network. It contains interesting archive pictures of Plough Lane.

Accrington Stanley 2  AFC Wimbledon 2 after extra time (aggregate 2-3).

RED HAND OF ULSTER

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Frank Quinn’s Tyrone jacket with the Red Hand logo

I began the New Year sporting the Red Hand of Tyrone on a borrowed jacket, the property of Frank Quinn in Glenmalure. So I was fascinated to read the following history of the symbol of Ulster in An Irishman’s Diary written by Frank McNally, part of which is reproduced here:

“The question of which foot you use while digging has in Ireland long had a significance that goes beyond matters of horticulture. But during a visit to Belfast recently, I was struck by the contrasting neutrality, in political symbolism, of the hand.”

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Red Hand in the Ulster Rugby logo

“I’m thinking mainly of the Red Hand, that ubiquitous symbol of Ulster. Unlike most emblems, it straddles the political and sectarian divide.  And on both sides, it’s usually the right hand (dexter) that’s depicted, although there are quite a few left hands scattered around Belfast on coats of arms and other insignia, with apparently equal indifference.

This is all the more surprising given that there are two competing explanations for the symbol’s origins. One is religious, referring to the hand of God (His right, invariably), a meaning mentioned in Milton’s Paradise Lost and a Nick Cave song, Red Right Hand, among other places.

The alternative is the prehistorical myth of the Iberian invaders, promised Ulster as the prize in a boat race. The first to touch it would win, so within sight of the finish, the most committed of the trio chopped his hand off and threw it ashore, a result that withstood the subsequent stewards’ inquiry.

By the law of averages (and most versions of the story), however, it was the invader’s right hand that did the chopping, and therefore his left that claimed the reward. Maybe that explains some of the left-hand versions in Belfast.  But then again, as far as I can see, loyalist murals, just like GAA insignia, tend to go with with the right.

Not that the Red Hand is entirely the property of Ulster. It used to symbolise Ireland in general. And again, this could be ambidextrous. You see lefty versions on, for example, old cap badges of the Irish Citizen Army. But I suppose there is a certain logic in that.

The foot question has its contradictions too. In the South, it is Protestants who are (or were) said to the dig with the left. In the North, the same claim was made of Catholics.  The point in both cases was that they were the minority.  Whichever foot they dug with it, it was the “wrong” one.

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Red Hand in Mid Ulster Council logo

One the other other hand (no pun intended), that great student of Ireland’s idiosyncrasies, (QUB Professor) E. Estyn Evans, once went into the subject in meticulous detail and found a depth of meaning in it that few who used the phrase could have suspected.

In his 1957 book, Irish Folk Ways, he wrote that most diggers in Ireland used the right foot – a habit reinforced by the traditional one-sided Irish spade, or “loy”, which unlike the English version, didn’t offer a choice.

But he added that, “in eastern Ireland, and particularly the Protestant districts of the north-east, the left foot is normally the digging-foot […] though the old Irish stocks continue to dig with the right”. In general, he marvelled at the “astonishing variety” of spades here, as witnessed by a Tyrone factory that specialised in the product. Its “spade gauge book”, he reported, had 230 different patterns.

The Tyrone factory had recently closed, he noted.  And I suspect that the complexity of Irish spade technology had peaked by then. Even so, anyone who still thinks that “calling a spade a spade” is synonymous with verbal simplicity should read Irish Folk Ways.  For me, at least, it sheds new light on Seamus Heaney’s famous decision, circa 1966, to dig with a pen.”

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Red Hand (dexter version)

The left hand version (sinister) of the symbol has been used by the Irish National Foresters, the Irish Citizen Army and the Federated Workers Union of Ireland, subsequently SIPTU.

ULSTER RUGBY WOES

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ULSTERLOGOThe casualty list is long. After the exertions of the European Cup match in France against Oyonnax which produced a great win, it’s not surprising that there are so many injuries. No further news yet on Tommy Bowe who was a spectator at the annual Christmas Day swim at Emy Lake near his home in Emyvale, Co. Monaghan. So here’s the long list and I hope it’s not too depressing for Ulster rugby fans…..

An injury update on Cave, Payne, Olding, Williams, Arnold, Herbst, Ludik, Bowe, Tuohy and Henderson…

Ireland internationals Darren Cave (shoulder) and Jared Payne (foot) have returned to training following their injuries and are in contention to play against Saracens on Saturday. Nick Williams was concussed during Sunday’s win over Oyonnax and will follow the return to play protocols. He will be unavailable for selection this weekend against Saracens. Sammy Arnold strained his hamstring in the first half of the Oyonnax match and will be sidelined for approximately three weeks. Louis Ludik is having treatment for an adductor strain he suffered in the same match and he is likely to be rested this week.

Wiehahn Herbst has recovered from a calf injury and he is likely to feature against Saracens this weekend. Stuart Olding is recovering well from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury suffered against Cardiff last March. He is in full training and is likely to return to competitive action in the coming weeks.

Tommy Bowe (knee), Iain Henderson (hamstring) and Dan Tuohy (ankle) are recovering well from their respective injuries. A return to play date has yet to be determined for the trio.

 

TYRONE4SAM2016

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Michael Fisher in Tyrone GAA jacket borrowed at the secret training location in Co. Wicklow

EXCLUSIVE! A New Year exclusive from fisherbelfast news! I have been on a secret mission today and have been shown the mountain hideaway where the Tyrone GAA senior footballers have begun training since St Stephen’s Day in their mission to win the Sam Maguire Cup. I am under strict instructions not to reveal the exact location in case of infiltration by spies from Kerry and Dublin. A full report will however be provided on request for Monaghan GAA whose supporters accompanied me this afternoon on an 8km walk in the pouring-rain.

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Section of the Wicklow Way from Glenmalure to Moyne

The two hour trek led along the Wicklow Way up a mountain, Slieve Maan. But in the pouring rain and wind there was in the end no evidence of a Red Hand. The only one in sight was on the jacket I borrowed from the legendary Frank Quinn from Pomeroy. He even leaves copies of his beautiful Sam Maguire book with his photos of historic places such as Knockmany and Carleton’s cottage as an inspiration for all who make their way for wilderness adventures to deepest Wicklow, not far from the Glen of Imaal where the Irish army trains.

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Sam Maguire book edited and with photos by Frank Quinn

Asked to compare his native ground around the Sperrins with the likes of Lugnaquilla, Mr Quinn, whose adventures to the Antarctic Circle featured in the Irish News a few years ago, replied: “sure the Sperrins are wee buns compared to the landscape we have here!!” Memories of the 1798 rebellion all around. So be prepared for a new wave of Tyrone football as the McKenna Cup gets underway in the coming weeks. It remains to be seen whether Wicklow GAA footballers will head Northwards for their training…….!

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Sam Maguire Cup at Knockmany near Augher Photo: Copyright Frank Quinn

Update: Obviously this extra training over New Year at the secret location in County Wicklow has already paid dividends for the Tyrone team. Their first outing in the Dr McKenna Cup was on Sunday (3rd January) and this was the result at St Enda’s Park in Omagh:

Tyrone 3-17 Queens University 0-11  

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