Aussie break for Laois skipper Parkinson

Brendan O’Brien

His decision is a serious blow to Mick O'Dwyer's plans Parkinson has been in superb form for his club in the run to Sunday week's All-Ireland semi-final against Crossmaglen.

In Laois, the club champions nominate a county skipper, but Parkinson says his Australian plans were made abundantly clear before Christmas. With the Portlaoise contingent of Laois players training separately on the same nights as their county colleagues, contact between the two camps has been virtually non-existent in the past three months.