GAELIC GAMES SHORTS

CARLOW’S Paul Broderick will bring his trusty old pair of Asics boots to Croke Park on Sunday, despite having problems with them during the Division 4 final. Broderick’s radar was off as Carlow fell to defeat to Laois in Croker, but as the talented forward, named Pwc Footballer of the month for May yesterday, explains, it was down to the boots. ‘I’d never played at Croke Park, apart from a mini-sevens when I was in sixth class. I’d worn studded boots all year,’ he said. ‘We were allowed wear them out on the pitch beforehand. I just felt that they weren’t going into the sod but I didn’t have anything else up with me, so I wore them anyway. ‘I should have gone to my hands after the first free because I was finding the boots weren’t going into the ground. When you are kicking off the ground, you are striking the ball a bit higher up then.’ ÷Under pressure Tyrone manager Mickey Harte has made four changes to his team for tomorrow’s crunch first round qualifier clash with Meath. Hugh Pat McGeary, Michael McKernan, Padraic McNulty and Richard Donnelly all come in with Lee Brennan, Mark Bradley (both injured) and the suspended Peter Harte making way. Veteran defender Cathal McCarron is the other player to drop out of the team, but curiously, after being substituted in the defeat to Monaghan, he is not listed among the subs.

Tyrone (SF v Meath): N Morgan; P Hamspey, R McNamee, HP McGeary; T McCann, F Burns, M McKernan; C Cavanagh, P McNulty; M Donnelly, N Sludden, C Meyler, C McShane, R Donnelly C McAliskey