Corofin and UCD footballer Darragh Silke will have to sacrifice a Sigerson Cup quarter-final this Sunday as it clashes with his club’s All-Ireland SFC final.
UCD’s last-eight clash with St Mary’s College in Belfield has been scheduled for 2pm, two hours before Corofin face Kilcoo across Dublin in Croke Park.
Silke, who came on as a late substitute in Corofin’s semi-final win over Nemo Rangers last Saturday week, was also a late extra-time replacement for the university in their victory over University of Ulster on Sunday.
Unlike club-mate Kieran Molloy who managed to line out for both club and college in clashing games the last two years, the logistics involved mean Silke will be unable to play for UCD.
Meanwhile, Jim Gavin will give the keynote speech at the GAA’s annual county board officer training gathering in Croke Park this weekend.
After guiding Dublin’s senior footballers to a historic fifth consecutive All-Ireland title last year, Gavin has been asked by the organisation to present in front of the country’s board executives.
Croke Park are keen to call on the expertise and leadership of the six-time All-Ireland winning manager, who surprisingly stepped down last month, The news comes as county boards such as Cork and Galway have volunteered to take a pilot roles and responsibility course aimed at upskilling officers.
Elsewhere, both of Sunday’s All-Ireland senior club finals in Croke Park will be refereed by Corkmen. Conor Lane takes charge of the football final (4pm throw-in). The Banteer/Lyre man, who refereed the Dublin-Kerry All-Ireland final replay last year, previously officiated in the 2016 senior club decider when Ballyboden St Enda’s beat Castlebar Mitchels.
In what is his first senior club final, Colm Lyons of Nemo Rangers will be the man in the middle for the hurling clash between Ballyhale Shamrocks and Borris-Ileigh (2pm start). Waterford’s Thomas Walsh has been appointed for the Fr O’Neill’s-Tullaroan intermediate hurling final on Saturday evening (6pm) and Seán Stack (Dublin) will officiate the junior showdown between Russell Rovers and Conahy Shamrocks (4pm).
After final fitness tests in Dublin last Friday, the referees panels for the forthcoming National Leagues are expected to be finalised this week. Although he took charge of the Offaly-Antrim Kehoe Cup final on Sunday, Westmeath’s James McGrath won’t be part of the national hurling officials panel having quit in 2018 when he wasn’t appointed for the All-Ireland final.
Waterford’s senior hurlers could be without all but one of the defence that began the 2017 All-Ireland final when they face Cork in Sunday week’s Division 1, Group 1 opener. With Austin Gleeson having picked up a knee injury while lining out for WIT on Sunday, Shane Fives may be the only one of the sextet available in the panel to Liam Cahill.
Noel Connors was omitted from the 2020 squad, Philip Mahony retired last week, Barry Coughlan has not returned to the set-up and Tadhg de Búrca may not be fit for the game in Walsh Park.