ENGLAND skipper Alan Shearer yesterday launched an impassioned defence after TV pictures showed him kicking Leicester’s Neil Lennon in the face.
The Newcastle striker insists that he did not kick Lennon deliberately during Wednesday night’s goalless draw at Filbert Street, after the Leicester midfielder had hauled him down near the touchline.
Shearer told PA Sport: “I have now seen the television pictures of the incident and I am amazed how bad it looks by comparison to what actually happened.
“I was brought down by Neil Lennon over by the touchline and we both fell clumsily. As I tried to get to my feet I had to really tug my left foot free and the momentum of doing this looked on television liked a kick.
“It certainly wasn’t and the fact that Neil is virtually unmarked confirms this.
“If I did accidentally catch him, I certainly did not mean to. I would never try and deliberately hurt a fellow professional.''
ooooooOOOOOoooooo
SEAN McGuinness has returned to his management post with the Antrim senior hurling team, just days after he resigned.
Antrim’s hurling board chairman Gilly McIlhatton confirmed last night that McGuinness had spoken with him and will be managing team affairs with immediate effect.
Thanks to an unplayable surface at Parnell Park in Dublin, tomorrow’s crucial National League play-off game against Kilkenny has been postponed. So now Antrim and McGuinness now have a chance to regroup and prepare themselves for the rescheduled fixture.
It was the rescheduling of fixtures which forced McGuinness to make his decision to resign as team manager, just several months after taking over from former boss Dominic McKinley.
Gilly McIlhatton said: “Sean had a bit of a headache of the timing of some championship games in the county. These have been looked and have been brought forward.
“Sean will now have three weeks to prepare for the Ulster semi-final against London and three weeks after that to prepare for the final, should we beat London”.
The county team trained last night and will play in an exhibition game on Monday to greet the opening of the new St Enda’s pitch in Glengormley.
ooooooOOOOOoooooo
A FIRST All-Ireland final, at the first time of trying, is the rich reward Armagh’s U21 players hope to cash in on tomorrow after 35 years when they clash with Kerry at Parnell Park, Dublin.
Armagh have not had a look-in on this particular Championship forum before, but after wins over Down, Tyrone and last season’s All-Ireland winners Derry there is high optimism in the camp.
A sharp start, fast out of the traps, and early scores to go with it, is what their team spokesman Paddy Nugent says they will be aiming for.
“The way the players opened the game in the Ulster final against Derry, the hunger they showed for the challenge, and fighting spirit, is what is hoped for again,” he said. “All we can ask for is the same commitment from the players. They have worked hard for this Championship, are confident in their own ability to go further, and hopefully they can get as good a start against Kerry as they produced in the Ulster final.”
For Kerry, Noel Kennelly, the star of last year’s minor team which went out to an inspired Tyrone after a stunning All-Ireland semi-final replay, Eamonn Fitzmaurice, and senior star Thomas O’Shea are their key men.
Armagh will look to the McEntee twins, John and full-back Tony, Crossmaglen ‘keeper Paul Hearty, Alan O’Neill, and senior panel forwards Peter Loughran and Barry Duffy to swing the issue.
