User:rorynoonanDate:09/01/2013Time:11:44:35Edition:09/01/2013WedEchoWed090113Page:56Color:

EE - V1

SPORTEvening Echo Murray and

Archer backon the mend

RUGBY

IRISH stars David Meyler andRobbie Brady have signed per-manent deals with npowerChampionship side, Hull City,writes NOEL SPILLANE.The duo who have signed

three-and-a-half year dealswith the Tigers, sign on fromManchester United and Sun-derland respectively.Both players have impressed

during loan spells, helping theTigers to second place in theleague table and into the pro-motion race.“I'm delighted to announce

I've signed for Hull City on athree and half year deal. I’mlooking forward to pushing forpromotion starting Saturday,”said Meyler this morning.The former College Corinthi-

ans and Cork City midfielderfollows in the footsteps of GregO’Halloran and DamienDelaney, as Cork men to have

played with Hull City.The Black Cats accepted an

offer from the Tigers morethan a week ago for Meyler, butnegotiations dragged on after aminor hitch over the weekend.

But the 23-year-old has nowfinalised his switch to the KCStadium for a fee believed tobe in the region of £1.5m.Meyler made only 31 first-

team appearances during hisfour-and-a-half years at theStadium of Light after arriv-ing from Cork City in 2008.His Sunderland career was a

case of what could have been,after two cruciate knee liga-ment injuries blighted hischances of making a big im-pact.He started just one top-flight

game under Martin O’Neill andthat prompted predecessorSteve Bruce to land him onloan in November.He has played a key role in

Hull’s charge to automatic pro-motion with three goals in 10games and that finally promp-ted Bruce to make a permanentmove.

SOCCER

Robbie Brady.

THERE was some positive news today for Mun-ster coach Rob Penney with both Conor Murrayand Stephen Archer expected to be in consider-ation for Munster’s make-or-break Heineken Cupround five tie with Edinburgh next Sunday in

Scotland,Murray was forced off after just 14 minutes

with a cut lip in the loss to Cardiff in Cork atthe weekend, while Archer limped out ofthe action with 20 minutes remaining aftersustaining a dead-leg.

Remaining a more immediate concernfor the coach is Mick Sherry, who hurt anankle and was replaced in the 23rdminute.

Damien Varley and Luke O’Dea, whoboth missed the Cardiff game through ill-

ness, have recovered and will be trainingwith the squad today, while Johne Murphy,forced out of the starting XV for Saturday’sgame after tweaking a hamstring in training,

remains a doubt.Meanwhile, this afternoon Paul O’Connell

addressed the national media outlining detailsof his career-threatening back injury, and hisrehabilitation program.

Munster’s final British and Irish Cup poolgame against Plymouth Albion on Friday Janu-ary 18 will now take place at Temple Hill.

The game was originally scheduled for theWaterford Regional Sports Centre,but has now been moved due toa delay in ground works.

The Munster A side travelto Aberavon this Saturdayfor their penultimate clashin the British and Irish Cuppool.

IN SPORT TODAY

See all of tomorrow’sracecards: P35-37

All the latest newsfrom the localsoccer leagues:

New schoolof thoughton Harty

THE new chairman of theCarbery GAA Board, JohnCorcoran, believes a com-bined West Cork schoolsteamshould be put forwardto compete in the Dr HartyCup.

Corcoran believes that the fail-ure of Cork schools to make a sig-nificant impact in the prestigiouscompetition in recent years is tothe detriment of the game in thecounty and he believes that itneeds addressing.“I have been taking note of the

failure of the Cork schools to chal-lenge at the business end of theHarty Cup and, while it’s great tosee Midleton CBS make thequarter-finals this season, weshould be doing a lot better overallin the competition.“I have suggested entering a

combined West Cork schools team

Corcoran: Merger is way forward

HARTY CUP

next season and you would bedrawing on players from fourschools in that.“The four schools that I am

talking about are St Brogan’sBandon, Hamilton HS Ban-don, Clonakilty CS and MaryImmaculate, Dunmanway.’’The new divisional chair-

man believes if such a propos-al got the green light the gameof hurling in general at under-age level in the county would

benefit significantly.“The trend has been seen by

all in recent times, no successin the Harty Cup and no suc-cess on the intercounty minorstage. The two are linked I be-lieve and our young playersare not getting the exposure atthe cutting edge of schoolscompetition and that is nothelping afterwards.

“I have written to the fourprincipals of the schools that Ihave mentioned and I amawaiting what I hope will be apositive response.“We in the Carbery Board

would certainly be very will-ing to assist such a develop-ment and I believe that it isthe only way forward.“We have seen how well it

has worked in other counties,schools amalgamating in the

main competitions in Dublin,Waterford, Limerick andClare. What we are proposinghere is something I believewill benefit Cork hurling verysignificantly.’’Meanwhile, former Cork,

Clonakilty, Nemo Rangersand Clonakilty star, EoinO’Mahony has taken over incharge of the O’DonovanRossa senior football team forthe new season.

By JOHN HORGAN

John Corcoran.

Rob Penney hasConor Murray andStephen Archeravailable.

Hull City’s new signingDavid Meyler.

Meyler is thrilled toget his Tigers stripesMeyler is thrilled toget his Tigers stripes

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