INTERPROVINCIAL HURLING:DESPITE THE incentive of playing for a free trip to Abu Dhabi, there have been the usual problems in assembling panels for the interprovincial hurling series. Part of the difficulty has been the hasty refixing of this year's final from its familiar date in October to early March, with the two semi-finals down for this Saturday .
This came about as a result of Etihad Airways, one of the main sponsors of the hurling championship, offering to promote the hurling final this year in the United Arab Emirates. The football competition remains fixed for October, but in the meantime the four provincial managers in charge of hurling have been running around trying to assemble a panel on about two weeks’ notice.
“It has not been easy,” says Tipperary’s Len Gaynor, who once again takes charge of Munster and only met his panel for the first time last night. “It’s just been very awkward for the players because a lot of them had already made plans for this weekend. Having said that, they are eager and they are keen.”
Munster will play Connacht at Pearse Stadium in Galway, which will effectively be a Galway team.
John McIntyre is still in charge of Connacht, despite the fact that he has taken over Galway in the meantime, and the presence of any players from outside the county is likely to be minimal.
For all four managers, the clash with the club hurling semi-finals involving De La Salle, Cushendall, Portumna and Ballyhale also rules out several potential players.
Yet, Gaynor says he is pleased with the initial response of players, even given the short notice. The situation with the Cork players, naturally, was tricky, but while Gaynor decided not to approach any of the striking players from 2008, he has considered some of the current panel.
“I saw them against Tipperary last Saturday and in fairness some of them did well, even if they are brand new.”
As a result the Munster panel will be largely made up of Tipperary, Waterford, Clare and Limerick players. Kerry’s leading hurling Shane Brick was considered, but wasn’t available.
Leinster, who are under former Wexford manager John Conron, will play Ulster in the other semi-final at Casement Park. The two winners will then progress to the final, to be played in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, March 14th.
Meanwhile, Dublin football manager Pat Gilroy has spoken about the implications of Sunday’s heavy league defeat to Galway, which has left his team still seeking a first win of the campaign.
“I was quite happy with our performance in the first 20 minutes,” said Gilroy. “At that stage we were only a point down, 1-2 to four points, and that was after failing to capitalise on a couple of one-on-one chances up front. However, we dropped our intensity in the last 15 minutes of the first half and that coupled with some poor decision making allowed Galway to take a stranglehold on the match.
“I said before the game that Galway were a pure footballing team and I think that Sunday’s display, where they kicked some fine points and were a lot more clinical than us when presented with their goalscoring chances, highlighted that.
“I was encouraged by our resolve in the second half and we put together some fine spells of football and did not allow our heads to drop. We will obviously be collectively analysing the match in more detail over the next few days and will be immediately focusing on the Donegal match in three weeks time.”
Dublin’s injury problems have also worsened after Sunday’s defeat; Paul Flynn was concussed in the first half and it will be a couple of weeks before he returns to full training; Conal Keaney was replaced midway through the second half and later required three stitches on his forehead and Bernard Brogan picked up a hamstring strain that will require at least a short period of rest and treatment.
