Bonner coaches top GAA 'keepers
Friday April 26 2002
Irish soccer goalkeeping legend Packie Bonner returned to his Gaelic roots last night to conduct a coaching session for GAA 'keepers at the University of Ulster grounds in Jordanstown.
The special clinic was organised by Eugene Young, the Ulster GAA Council's 'High Performance Director', and every Ulster county was invited to send their top senior and U21 'keepers to the session.
All of Ulster's senior inter-county managers were also invited to attend to see what tips they could pick up from the former Donegal minor 'keeper, who is now the FAI's national goalkeeping coach as well as part of Mick McCarthy's World Cup backroom team.
Meanwhile, Kildare and Galway, the '98 All-Ireland football finalists, will renew rivalry on Sunday when they meet in a challenge match to mark the opening of a new pitch at Kilcullen, Co Kildare (3.0).
The progressive Kilcullen club has spent €800,000 on the development which includes a clubhouse, four dressingrooms, a gym and a banked, enclosed ground which can accommodate 5,000. The official opening will be performed at 2.0 by former Leinster Council chairman Seamus Aldridge.
The Leinster Council have deferred two minor championship matches one football, one hurling that were originally fixed for tomorrow. The hurling tie between Carlow and Dublin has been refixed for May 2, while Kilkenny and Longford will now likely to contest their minor football match on May 8.
The games were deferred because a number of the players involved are also due to play for their schools in All-Ireland colleges finals on Sunday.
- Cliona Foley
