GAA - International Rules:Ireland International Rules manger Anthony Tohill and his backroom staff have kept busy identifying a strong panel ahead of this year's two-Test series against Australia in October.
Tohill is flanked by Eoin Liston, Seán Óg de Paor and Kevin O’Brien and between them they have been busy taking in as many games as possible before formulating a squad for the October series.
“We've been very busy since we were appointed at the end of March,” said Tohill at today’s launch of the International Rules series at Croke Park.
“What we're trying to do is put the logistical arrangements in place now so when it comes to the period of time when we get the players together we'll be able to concentrate on football matters and not logistical arrangements. We've been looking at players and games.
“We started off with the Division Four league final as the first game we viewed as a management team and we're hoping to see as many games as we can and cast the net as wide as we can and be as open minded as we can be.
“We're trying to give every player who plays inter county football a reasonable and fair opportunity to be considered for selection.”
Given the opposition Tohill also said he was keeping an eye of the progress of Irish players competing in the Australian Football League (AFL) Down Under.
“We haven't had direct contact with the players in Australia but we do have our own sources and contacts in Australia who will be monitoring developments for us,” added Tohill on the GAA’s official website (www.gaa.ie).
“All four of us have played the International Rules series, we've toured Australia, we have made friends and contacts in the AFL.
The games will take place on Saturday, October 23rd in Limerick and seven days later at Croke Park. Both will be played under floodlights and will be broadcast live on TG4.