Houlihan back between Limerick posts

TIMMY HOULIHAN is recalled to the Limerick hurling team for Sunday’s National League clash with Antrim in the Gaelic Grounds.

This will be his first appearance between the posts in two years and he takes over from Ger O’Connell in a team that shows two other changes from the side that failed to Wexford last Sunday.

David Breen comes in at left half back for Mark Foley while Ciaran O’Dwyer takes over from Pat Tobin at left corner forward. Both Foley and Tobin are included among the subs.

Houlihan who won three All-Ireland under 21 medals on the trot with the Shannonsiders under their coach David Keane, is the third goalkeeper Limerick have used this season.

Wexford have given call up papers to reserve goalkeeper Matty White for their game against Down. White takes over from Allstar Damien Fitzhenry, who is sidelined because a thorn thumb ligament.

Laois manager Paudie Butler has given a vote of confidence to the same 15 that started against their previous outing against Dublin for the visit of Galway to Portlaoise. The win over the Dubs was the first for the O’Moore County in this year’s league campaign.

Kilkenny will not select their side to play Dublin until a training session tomorrow. But ace forward Henry Shefflin is almost certain to miss out because of a groin injury which ruled him out of last weekend’s defeat by Clare.

Meanwhile the Laois football selectors have postponed the selection of their side to meet Down until a decision has been reached in the case of Stephen Kelly. He is appealing against a red-card sending off offence.

Meanwhile the governor of Mountjoy prison, John Lonergan, yesterday claimed the GAA was sending out the wrong message by putting pubs in Croke Park.

The association has received the go-ahead to construct 11 bars and restaurants around the 82,000-capacity stadium.

Mr Lonergan said it contradicted the GAA’s image as a role model for young people in Irish society.

“Just recently the GAA said they were going to appoint a national co-ordinator for drink and drug abuse and that they were going to be proactive about healthy living.

But at the same time they’re building and creating 11 more outlets so that everybody going into Croke Park can get more alcohol. What the hell of a sort of message is that to be giving out?”

Mr Lonergan is best known for his humanitarian approach towards the inmates of Mountjoy, the state’s oldest prison.

He said some of the GAA’s explanations for the new bars were hilarious.

“One was they were concerned about the exit of so many people from Croke Park at the one time and if they were drinking more in Croke Park, therefore they wouldn’t be causing havoc on the streets.”

He also said that it contradicted the dedicated approach of many GAA players.

“You’ve teams that are absolutely, totally dry for six months and on the other hand, we’re saying to them: ‘Come and drink all you want and we’ll increase the outlets and make sure you get plenty of it’, Mr Lonergan fumed.

Mr Lonergan was a member of the GAA Task Force on Alcohol, which published its report last year.

He grew up playing hurling in Bansha, Tipperary and as a member of the Kilmacud Crokes GAA club in South Dublin, he coached several teams at underage levels.

“Because I am a member of the GAA and very committed to the GAA and because it’s in every parish, I do believe the GAA have a particular opportunity to give example,” said Mr Lonergan.

The Croke Park Street Committees Association has raised concerns about the new bars, which were given planning permission by Dublin City Council last week.

Croke Park, which was built at a cost of €246 million already serves alcohol on match days to up to 10,000 supporters in the corporate box and premium seat sections.

Stadium director Peter McKenna said John Lonergan’s comments would be taken onboard by the GAA.

“He is in a position that is very close to some of the problems that come from alcohol abuse and he’s a very well respected individual.”

LIMERICK (SH v Antrim): T. Houlihan; D. Reale, B. Geary, M. Cahill; P. O’Dwyer, O. Moran, D. Breen; P. O’Grady, D. O’Grady; A. O’Connor, J. O’Brien, N. Moran; A. O’Shaughnessy, S. O’Connor, K. O’Dwyer.

LAOIS (SH v Galway): Patrick Mullaney; Brian Campion, Pakie Cuddy, Ml McEvoy; Joe Fitzpatrick, Seamus Dwyer, Pat Mahon; James Young, James Walsh; Canice Coonan, John Rowney, Liam Tynan; Robert Jones, Mark Rooney, Damien Culleton.

WEXFORD (SH v Down): M. White; M. Travers, D. Ruth, K. Rossiter; R. McCarthy, D. Stamp, D. Lyng; D. O’Brien, M. Jacob; P. Carley, W. Doran, E. Quigley; M. Jordan, N. Higgins, D. Mythen.

DUBLIN (SH v Kilkenny): G Maguire; C Billings, T Russell, S O’Shea; K Elliott, S Daly, G Bennett; G O’Meara, C Meehan; D Curtin, S Hiney, F Chambers; E Carroll, M Breathnach, J Kingston. Subs: W Bourke, P Bergin, E Moran, D Spain, Derek O’Reilly, Damien O’Reilly, D Brennan, C Hennebry, S Mullen.

KERRY (SH v London): T. Flynn; E. Fitzgerald, B. Flaherty, P. McCarthy; K. O’Sullivan, E. Sheehy, A. Keane; I. McCarthy, S. Brick; P. Randles, T. Murnane, E. Tuohy; S. Goggin, J. M. Dooley, J. Egan.

SLIGO (Under 21 football v Galway): J. Durcan; B. Collins, B. Kirrane, B. Kivlehan, F. Roche, B. Curran, P. Mullen, F. Horan, T. Taylor, B. Reilly, A. Marren, K. Sweeney, D. McTiernan, B. McDonagh, K. Kerins.