Duffy leads the way in opening door to players

GAA director general Páraic Duffy issued a personal plea to inter-county managers to ‘find the right balance’ between Championship preparations and shutting off all access to the game’s stars.

In an era when access to inter-county players and management becomes ever more restricted and controlled, hats off to the Ulster Council for pulling out all the stops at the launch of their provincial championships at the MAC in Belfast this week.

Duffy (above) was the headline figure at the launch and his message came on a night when a multitude of players and managers were made available to promote the games.

And from all the varying codes too - senior hurling, senior football, ladies football and camogie.

With president Liam O’Neill throwing his weight behind the integration of the different associations, here was a good example of that vision in action.

BRIAN Cody is going for his eighth League title as Kilkenny manager today, but tomorrow he will test himself against another legend, Mick O’Dwyer (left), in a charity GAA match in Portlaoise that aims to raise funds for the cancer units in St Luke’s and St James’ hospitals. Fermanagh’s Marty McGrath and Cork’s Joe Deane, who both battled cancer, are among those togging out at 1.30pm in O’Moore Park. Tickets are €5. Those who can’t make it can donate €4 by texting MATCH to 50300.