Barrs great Kevin McTernan will be honoured when Mallow face Éire Óg

MALLOW and Éire Óg will be playing for the Kevin McTernan Cup in this evening’s 2020 Bon Secours county senior A football championship final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh at 7pm.

It commemorates the great St Finbarr’s player, selector, and club stalwart, who passed away in October, 2017, and is fondly remembered out Togher direction.

It’s a fitting gesture by the club, whose approaches to the county board were clearly well-received and adds to what should be a memorable occasion.

Apart from it being an historic first final in the new grade, the game is also going to have a small number of people in attendance.

“We’re getting 90 tickets each,” said Éire Óg manager Harry O’Neill.

“The players’ families will get one each with the club officers sorting out the rest. It has nothing to do with us as management.

“We’re allowed 40 players, management and back-room people and that is very tight and is really the hardest part of it.

“We’ve eight in management, a doctor and a physio, and that goes to 12, when including our secretary and chairman.

At most, we’re looking at bringing in 28 players and we’ve more than that training, so it’s very hard to tell those lads that you can’t come with us.

“They’ll be allowed in to watch the game alright, but won’t be part of the set-up despite putting in all the effort in training.

“There are allowances made for inter-county, but I don’t think it’s the same for clubs,” he added.

His Mallow counterpart, Keith Moynihan, has enough on his plate without the added burden of sourcing scarce tickets.

“Apparently we’re getting 90, but I’ll leave that to the club officers. My job is to prepare the team,” he said.

“I’ve let them know how many tickets we want, how many are in the squad and our management group.

“It’s very difficult for club members, especially for the juvenile members because of restrictions.

“You feel they’re missing out a bit on the build-up to a county final, but these are the times we are living in.”

CROKER CALLING

Croke Park turnstiles will begin to click again later today for the National Football League Division 3 final between Derry and Offaly at Croke Park at 5pm.

It has been designated an official pilot fixture for the return of spectators and 2,400 spectators will be permitted to attend.

And there will be 3,000 at headquarters in the capital for tomorrow’s camogie division 1 league final between All-Ireland champions Kilkenny and Galway.

As is the case at both Cork and Dublin venues, people attending must be mindful of restrictions that will be in place and to co-operate with stewards at all times.

Social distancing will be in operation and patrons will be required to wear masks for the duration of their visit.

Hats off to Offaly manager John Maughan for proposing the playing of the Division 3 final even though both Offaly and Derry are already promoted to Division 2 next season when Cork will be one of their opponents.

The midland county are scheduled to play Mickey Harte’s Louth in the first round of the Leinster Championship in Navan tomorrow week at 1.30pm, but rather than wrap his players in cotton wool, Maughan decided a final at Croker would be better preparation.

And he must be congratulated on his stance because far too many managers are very conservative in their planning though the reality is the highlight of Offaly’s season will be playing a final at Croker.

They may get past Louth in the championship, but Offaly are on the same side of the draw as Kildare and Dublin.

It’s perfect preparation for Derry, who are not due to play their Ulster championship tie with the winners of Down and Donegal until July 11.