10 YEARS AGO

DOWN were dealt a potential hammer blow as key man Kevin McKernan picked up what appeared to be a serious injury in their McKenna Cup win over Monaghan.

On the pitch, a 1-2 tally from Donal O’Hare had secured an impressive 1-12 to 0-11 win with Daniel McKenna top-scoring for the hosts in Clones.

“I am worried for him purely because of the way he went off,” Mourne manager Jim McCorry said afterwards.

“It was just an accidental collision. He was a wee bit aggrieved at the time. It was an accident, just a clumsy collision and I wish him the best and hope it is not a serious injury.”

Good news would follow down the line though with the injury proving not to be as bad as first feared.

Cork camogie legend Jennifer Curry, née O’Leary, announced her inter-county retirement – although she would end up lacing the boots for Armagh down the line.

Curry had claimed a fourth All-Ireland title a few months prior and scored a goal in the final win over Kilkenny. Her performances had also led to an eighth All-Star.

Having moved north after that, Curry returned to the inter-county scene with the Orchard County.

On the hurling scene, Antrim found their scoring touch as they hit 1-22 in a Walsh Cup win over DIT.

The students raised the first four flags at St Paul’s and a Daryl Roberts goal, after a fine save from Chrissy O’Connell, meant they led at the break.

However, with the breeze behind them, Antrim dominated the second half with Neil McManus, Paul Shiels, Chris McCann and goalscorer PJ O’Connell scoring heavily.

20 YEARS AGO

MEATH manager Sean Boyle launched a passionate assassination of the trialling sin bin after their O’Byrne Cup loss to Kildare.

No less than seven players were sent to the line with the Lilywhites profiting in the final stages when the Royal County were down to 12 players following a series of cards from referee Maurice Deegan.

“I’d like to go back out and play a game of Gaelic football, not that sort of stuff,” Boylan said afterwards.

“There wasn’t a single dirty foul out there today yet seven players were yellow-carded. I think we’re gone stupid if that’s the road we’re going down.”

Also in Leinster, Kilkenny’s footballing difficulties were summed up as they suffered a 5-22 to 0-1 loss to Laois – Michael Duggan with their only score.

In the McKenna Cup, Derry eked out a low-scoring win over Armagh with Paddy Bradley scoring the winner a minute from time to seal a 0-8 to 1-4 success.

There was a shock in Newcastle as the students of Queen’s defeated Down with Mourne pair Aidan Carr and James McGovern doing a lot of the damage up front.

Jordanstown had less luck though as they were well beaten by a Tyrone side that hit 18 scores, Stephen O’Neill responsible for half a dozen of those.

30 YEARS AGO

THE controversial GAA Rule 21 – which banned members of the British security forces from membership of the Association – took a step towards removal as Dublin GAA voted for change.

Some 141 voted in favour of its removal with 78 against at the county’s annual convention.

The meeting had heard that Loughinisland in Down, home to the O’Toole’s Pub massacre the year before, had also voted in favour of the rule’s removal and while that seemed to help the vote passing, it would still be another six years before the rule was removed.

Meanwhile at the Galway convention, chairman Pat Egan took aim at the footballer’s shooting.

“It was disappointing to witness our forwards inability to pick off scores that were there for the taking.”

Tribe fans will need no reminding that it was much the same against Armagh in last season’s All-Ireland final where they missed a series of presentable chances as the Orchard County claimed Sam for a second time.