The Irish News - January 7 2010: Down manager James McCartan has urged the GAA to consider changing the months that have been designated the ‘closed season'.
Under the current rules, county squads are not allowed to hold collective training sessions during November and December.
For managers in their first season like McCartan, the rule presents a huge obstacle as it leaves him with just the month of January to prepare a squad for the National League.
McCartan was able to draw on his experiences from the weekend to outline the difficulties facing him.
“We arranged a friendly with Fermanagh last Sunday. Ideally we would have liked to have played three periods of 30 minutes with a new team in each third. “But due to the bad weather, we had to transfer the game from Newry to Kilkeel.
“For that reason, we started half and hour later than planned so daylight beat us. A lot of boys didn't get the game time that I would have liked.”
McCartan also confirmed that he is set to make two changes to his McKenna Cup squad.
Both Kevin Anderson (Aghaderg) and Mark Doran (Longstone) were named in the original panel, but Anderson broke his wrist on a skiing holiday while Doran broke a finger in a trial match.
BIRTHDAYS-
Paul Prichard
cricket
former Essex batsman, born 1965.
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Lewis Hamilton
motor sport
six-time Formula One world champion, born 1985.
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Wayne Routledge
soccer
Swansea winger, born 1985.
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Grant Leadbitter
soccer
Sunderland midfielder, born 1986.
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David Templeton
soccer
Burton Albion midfielder, born 1989.
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Eden Hazard
soccer
Real Madrid and Belgium playmaker, born 1991.
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Caster Semenya
athletics
South African Olympic 800 metres champion, born 1991.
ON THIS DAY IN SPORT- 1927
The Harlem Globetrotters, one of the world's best-known basketball teams, were founded by Abraham Saperstein of Chicago.
- 1942
Russian weightlifter Vasily Alexeev, who set 80 official world records and used to eat a 36-egg omelette for breakfast, was born. He won gold medals at the 1972 and 1976 Olympic Games.
- 1997
Murray Kidd resigned as coach of Ireland's rugby union side.
- 2011
England beat Australia by an innings and 83 runs to win the fifth Test in Sydney and complete a 3-1 Ashes series victory.
- 2013
Scotland's most capped scum-half Mike Blair announced his retirement from international rugby.
- 2018
Holders Arsenal were knocked out of the FA Cup in the third round after losing 4-2 to Championship club Nottingham Forest.
QUICK QUIZ- Who is the current manager of the Kilcoo GAA senior football side?
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- Which country is playing host to the 2023 Rugby World Cup?
- In what year did NBA legend Vince Carter play his rookie season?
A. 1995 | B. 1998 | C. 2000 - How many Premier League clubs has Wayne Rooney played for?
- Mickey Moran
- Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
- France
- B- 1998
- Two (Everton and Manchester United)
SPORT ON TVTuesday, January 7
- SOCCER
Carabao Cup, Manchester United v Manchester City - Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football 1930; French League Cup, Reims v Strasbourg - BT Sport 2 1945.
- CRICKET
South Africa v England, second Test - Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Cricket 0800; Big Bash League, Melbourne Renegades v Perth Scorchers - BT Sport 1 0800.
- DARTS
BDO World Championships - Eurosport 1 1300 and 1900.
Wednesday, January 8
- SOCCER
Carabao Cup, Leicester v Aston Villa - Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football 1930; French League Cup, Lyon v Brest - BT Sport 2 1730, PSG v St Etienne - BT Sport 2 2000.
- CRICKET
Big Bash League, Adelaide Strikers v Sydney Sixers - BT Sport 1 0430, Melbourne Stars v Sydney Thunder - BT Sport 1 0800.
- BASKETBALL
NBA, Dallas Mavericks v Denver Nuggets - Sky Sports Main Event 0030 (Thurs).
- DARTS
BDO World Championships - Eurosport 1 1300 and 1900.
