Jerome O'Connell: Injury Time

THE new GAA Development Officers (Adrian O’Sullivan and Gerard Downes) in Limerick city are already making their presence felt.
This Saturday, February 26, Tir Chonaill Harps GAA club from Glasgow will land in Shannon and begin a four-day hurling tour of the Northside Regeneration areas of Limerick. Adrian O’Sullivan is planning the event and has a wide range of activities planned for the Scottish visitors, who are aged between 10 and 12.
Abbey Sarsfields and LIT Sarsfields will be at the centre of the weekend’s activities. The Harps will play an indoor blitz on Friday in the Bays in Moyross, with the children from LIT Sarsfields’ two main feeder schools, Corpus Christi NS in Moyross and St. Munchin’s BNS. On Saturday they will take part in an outdoor blitz hosted by Abbey Sarsfields.
O’Sullivan points out that this visit is about much more than sport: “My job is to promote the GAA in Limerick City. Community development and integration are very important aspects of this. This visit is a fantastic opportunity for integration, not only between Glasgow and Limerick, but also the many different areas within the Northside regeneration area itself and I envisage this weekend as really bolstering community spirit, a foundation upon which the GAA is built all over the country.”
During their stay the Glasgow children will have drug awareness workshops from the Northside ‘We’re OK Youth Initiative’ and will also go on tours of Thomond Park and the Gaelic Grounds.
“Everyone is welcome to come watch these talented Limerick children in action alongside their Scottish counterparts. The first blitz will throw in at 11.30 on Friday in the Bays in Moyross and on Saturday the throw-in time is 3pm at Abbey Sarsfields pitch in Corbally.”
Anyone interested in playing for or getting involved in LIT Sarsfields or Abbey Sarsfields can contact Adrian O’Sullivan on adrian.osullivan@games.gaa.ie

All-Ireland club final day
THERE will be Limerick representation on All-Ireland club final day in Croke Park, after all.
The aspirations of Dromcollogher-Broadford were cast aside by Crossmaglen Rangers while Adare will look on in envy when De La Salle make their debut at GAA Headquarters in the hurling final. Lining out against De La Salle will be Limerick native Garrett Heagney.
The school teacher goes in search of his third All-Ireland club hurling championship this St. Patrick’s Day in Croke Park. The former South Liberties man will line out at wing back for Portumna. Heagney, who played under-21 with Limerick in 2005, was also briefly a member of Joe McKenna’s county senior squad that season, but work commitments forced the defender to withdraw.
The football, too, will have Limerick involvement. In the full-back line for Kilmacud Crokes are brothers; Ross and Rory O’Carroll - many moons ago their grandmother Maureen Sheahan came from Dromcollogher!

By-laws out-dated
I have been contacted on a recent article containing comments of Limerick GAA chairman Liam Lenihan about out-dated by-laws.
“Our by-laws are outdated,” stated Lenihan at the February County Board meeting.
“We have a committee looking at our by-laws” said Lenihan as he spoke about his frustration of ‘free agents’ gaining permission to play with other clubs.
The chairman said that he was powerless to stop players choosing what clubs to play with, if their own club was not to field a team: “There is no rule where we can stop that. I am not in favour of criss-crossing divisions.
“Every clubs aspires to having their own team and if not I would appeal to them to stay in their own division and neighbouring clubs,” said Lenihan.
Reference was made to players who were granted permission to play with Bruff.
For clarity purposes, Bruff, Fedamore and Kilmallock will combine for under-21 football in 2009 while Ballybricken-Bohermore and Bruff will combine for under-21 hurling championship.