Whelahan undecided on Offaly future

BRIAN WHELAHAN has yet to decide on his inter-county future with Offaly.

Whatever about the possibility of a return for the championship, it's considered unlikely that he will be involved in the closing stages of the NHL.

The official line is that the player has yet to make up his mind whether or not to resume his inter-county career.

In the meantime, Whelahan and his Birr team-mates are going off on a week's holiday next Saturday as a reward for their record-breaking fourth AIB All-Ireland club hurling success.

Due to the club championship commitments, none of the Birr players have been involved with the county training panel over the last few months, under new manager Mike McNamara, and selectors Pat Delaney, Paddy Kirwan and Ger Fogarty.

However, both Stephen Browne and Rory Hanniffy did train with the panel last Friday night.

Those players along with Gary Hanniffy, were named in the squad for the Cork game, but only Browne played as a late substitute at wing-forward. Rory Hanniffy would have started but for the fact that he was suffering from the flu.

The selectors have yet to announce the number of Birr players that will be invited into the panel for the remaining games in the League before the final 30-man squad is named.

Naturally, McNamara is hopeful that the Birr success can have benefits the county team in the longer term.

"It augurs well for Offaly hurling if the Birr players can be integrated (into the team).

"When they enter the fray they will strengthen up many positions and leave a few headaches for those of us who like to remain faithful to people who do great things," he said.

McNamara agreed that their win over Limerick the previous weekend had given his young team a great boost in advance of their success against Cork on Saturday.

"People were talking about how bad Limerick were, which was very unfair on them in particular, but also unfair on the Offaly lads. That's three matches on the trot they have won."

And as a result, the incoming Birr players will have plenty of competition in a bid to regain their places.

"They now have to integrate and get into the system," the Scariff publican said. "And, the system with all teams is that if someone gets a chance as these young lads have to stake a claim for a place it's up to somebody else to take it off them if they are now able."

For obvious reasons, he wants Offaly to be involved in the next stage of the competition, with the top three counties from each division will face each other. "It's vital for teams to get into that famous top three for matches heading towards the championship. We could arguably have three matches in three weeks against the likes of Kilkenny, Clare and Galway or Waterford. Those are matches you couldn't arrange.

"If we can win in Wexford next week, then we are in with a shout.

After that, who knows?"

Meanwhile, Dublin dual star Conal Keaney, is facing a fitness battle ahead of the Leinster SHC in May.

Keaney has been ruled out of Dublin's crunch NHL clash with Kilkenny on Saturday with a calf strain, which will keep him out for the next five weeks at least.

The Ballyboden St-Enda's man, who recently received the Vodafone Hurling Player of the Month for February, has been struggling with the injury since the Trench Cup final while on duty for Tallaght IT.

Hurling boss Marty Morris confirmed that Keaney is out of hurling for at least a month.

"It's a huge loss for us but for Conal's own best interests he's been advised to take five weeks out of action.

"He's been our best and most consistent performer this season. The plus side to it all is that he should be fit heading into the championship, which is the ultimate concern."

Ironically, dual player Keaney will now avoid a major tug-of-war for his services with both the hurlers and the U-21 footballers in action on Saturday.

Keaney was part of the U-21 squad that reached last year's All-Ireland final and committed to another season with them early this year.

However, Morris wanted the player to line out for the hurlers against Kilkenny and had hoped to persuade football manager Tommy Lyons to release the player.