Setanta Sports Football News http://www.setanta.com/ All the latest news stories, comment, interviews and stats from our unique Setanta Sports football feed. en-GB FOOTBALL http://www.setanta.com//uk/niwork/Our-Sports/Football/ 2009-10-19T10:30:07+01:00 Harte autobiography questions Cavanagh http://www.setanta.com//uk/Articles/other-sports/2009/10/13/Harte-autobiography-questions-Cavanagh/gnid-58838/ In news that will shock Tyrone GAA fans, Red Hand senior football manager Mickey Harte has come out and questioned the reasons why Sean Cavanagh felt unable to start against Cork in this year's All-Ireland semi-final.

The 2008 Footballer of the Year only played in the last 20 minutes of a game in which then defending All-Ireland champions Tyrone were beaten by a brilliant Cork. Officially a stomach bug was cited for the reason that Cavanagh did not play from the start, but Harte - who had been hoping to take Tyrone on to a fourth Sam Maguire title under his tenure this year - is apparently not so sure.

In his autobiography to be released this week, Harte instead offers up the idea that his star man was simply feeling under too much pressure and says he was puzzled when the forward came to him on the morning of the August game to say he was "wrecked", wasn't "feeling good" and hadn't slept at all that night.

"I needed to try and see things from his perspective. Apart from a few isolated flashes of brilliance, his form hadn't been great all season. Why was that?" asked Harte.

"As a player Sean had always delivered. He was an icon for us and that greatness had been rewarded in 2008. Maybe the pressure was stemming from that."

Cavanagh recently underwent surgery on his ankle and is expected to miss the early rounds of next year's National Football League as he recovers. Tyrone open their NFL campaign with a clash against 2008 winners and 2009 runners-up Derry.

]]> 2009-10-13T12:07:07+01:00 Owens bags Deise job http://www.setanta.com//uk/Articles/other-sports/2009/09/16/Owens-bags-Deise-job/gnid-58657/ John Owens, the former Tipperary defender, has been named as the new manager of the Waterford footballers.

Owens takes over from John Kiely who was ousted from the post after five years in charge.

Kiely's exit was far from expected and he expressed his disappointment following the decision on Monday night.

"All my life I was never a bitter man pointing fingers of blame at people. I am always looking on the bright side of things and of life," Kiely was quoted as saying in the Irish Examiner.

"I think we have won more games in the last two years than Waterford did in the previous 30.

"But I am very disappointed by this. I am going to miss it. I enjoyed every minute of it. But I am a member of the GAA family. And I am going to Croke Park on Sunday. I will still enjoy football and will always support Waterford."

]]> 2009-09-16T10:33:06+01:00 UEFA Champions League http://www.setanta.com//uk/Our-Sports/Football/UEFA-Champions-League/ 2009-10-19T14:50:01+01:00 UEFA Champions League http://www.setanta.com//uk/Our-Sports/Football/UEFA-Champions-League/ 2009-08-18T17:23:41+01:00