GAELIC GAMES: Tyrone captain Peter Canavan is facing a long injury lay-off and could miss the entire first phase of the upcoming National League. Canavan captained his county to a first All-Ireland in September but hasn't played since because of the ankle injury he sustained in August's semi-final win over Kerry and which greatly restricted his appearance in the final.
"He'll certainly miss league matches, most of the first-round games," according to Tyrone manager Mickey Harte. "Peter will undergo some surgery on his ankle this week. If he needs an operation that will take time and so will the rehabilitation. Other treatment didn't seem to work and rest didn't do the job so he had to opt for the surgery."
Having achieved the ultimate ambition at the end of his career, Canavan won't be too concerned at the prospect of an extended lay-off although Harte was quick to emphasise that that wasn't the intention. "The rest may be a positive, a silver lining but that's not the way we planned it. If Peter wasn't injured, he'd be used."
Tyrone play Antrim in Casement Park on Sunday in the McKenna Cup, the only trophy to escape the county's sideboard last year after a surprise defeat by Monaghan. Harte laid great emphasis on his team's competitive form in all three competitions last year and the consequent opportunity to cut out challenge matches from the team's calendar altogether.
With the steady supply of matches, a scaled-down training programme was all that was needed to keep the team fit and Harte hopes to replicate that approach this season.
"I don't believe in doing it any other way. It's worked for us before and if it doesn't this time, it won't be for the want of trying."
Meanwhile, Meath hope to welcome back former All Star full-back Darren Fay after a long break when they take on Offaly in Sunday's O'Byrne Cup semi-final in Navan. Fay hasn't played for the county since last summer but is back in contention along with forward Dáithí Regan.
Finally a number of replacements have been called up for next week's All Stars hurling trip to the US. Offaly's flying forward Brendan Murphy, an award nominee last year, Tony Griffin of Clare and Wexford's Micheal Jordan have all been called up.
The 2002 and 2003 All Star selections will play an exhibition match in Phoenix, Arizona, on Saturday week, January 24th. It is the first time the All Star tour has been based in Phoenix and the party will also spend two days in Las Vegas.
The teams will be managed by Brian Cody, the 2003 Manager of the Year who took Kilkenny to back-to-back All-Irelands in the past two years, and Cyril Lyons, the former Clare manager who led his county to the 2002 All-Ireland final and who will take charge of the 2002 selection, which they lost to Kilkenny. Pat O'Connor from Limerick will referee the game.
The All Stars leave for Phoenix next Wednesday, January 21st. The exhibition game is being held at the Scottsdale Community College. The party will leave Phoenix on Monday, January 26th, for Las Vegas and will return to Ireland on January 29th.
Waterford will give intercounty debuts to three players in Sunday's McGrath Cup semi-final against Limerick at Ardmore. In come corner back John Hurney and wing back Pat Fitzgerald, while in attack there is a call-up for Liam Ó Lionnain. There is also a welcome return for Stradbally's most prolific forward Niall Curran.
WATERFORD (SF v Limerick): P Houlihan; J Hurney, K O'Keeffe, T Dunphy; N Hennessey, E Rocket, P Fitzgerald; A Hubbard, W Kavanagh; C Watt, AN other, L Ó Lionnain; N curran, S Walsh, S Barron.
