NO RELEGATION IN LADIES FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
there’s a few people championing you. But you can’t be championed by both sides. And that’s wrong.’ Barker received plenty of praise for his public stance on making full use of the club window that runs until October 11 rather than following the lead of other counties which will wrap up the club competition early so that their county team can begin preparations.
Not to mention all those anecdotal reports of county senior teams back training, despite being prohibited until September 14. At the time, he played down the possibility of a clash with Derry senior football manager Rory Gallagher over player availability, arguing that ‘there could be no better preparation for the county season’.
‘The one thing is, at least once you get games there will be something else to talk about,’ added Barker. Meanwhile, no team will be relegated in this year’s All-Ireland Ladies Gaelic Football Championships, but promotion will still be up for grabs. That was the big takeaway from last night’s redraw of the Championships in Portloaise last night, as the LGFA moved to quell fears that teams could be demoted in a truncated season. Four-in-a-row chasing senior champions Dublin will be hot favourites to emerge from their group, which also includes Waterford and Donegal.
Heavyweights, Cork, Galway and Mayo will also be expected to top their groups when the Championship gets under way later this year. Elsewhere, Roscommon hurling manager Ciaran Comerford stepped down last night.
ALL-IRELAND LADIES SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP DRAW: Group 1: Cork, Cavan, Kerry; Group 2: Galway, Tipperary, Monaghan; Group 3: Dublin, Waterford, Donegal; Group 4: Mayo, Armagh, Tyrone INTERMEDIATE: Group 1: Roscommon, Offaly, Wexford; Group 2: Westmeath, Longford, Louth; Group 3: Meath, Leitrim, Down; Group 4: Sligo, Clare, Kildare, Laois JUNIOR: Group 1: Carlow, Wicklow, Fermanagh; Group 2: Derry, Limerick, Antrim.