GAC clear Kilkenny, Tipp trio for final

THE GAA’s Games Administration Committee has taken no action against the Kilkenny pair Henry Shefflin and Philip Larkin, along with Tipperary’s Ger O’Grady, thus clearing the way for them to play in Monday’s Allianz NHL final in Croke Park.

All three appeared before last evening’s meeting of the Committee, arising from incidents late in the League match between the counties in Nowlan Park on April 13. After discussion of their cases, it’s reported that each of them was exonerated.

The position of Tipperary defender Eamonn Corcoran, red-carded near the end of the game with Galway a week later, has yet to be determined. After examination of his case, the GAC decided to defer a decision pending clarification with the match officials. It’s believed that the incident for which he was dismissed wasn’t seen by referee Pat Ahearn from Carlow.

The news that the other three had been cleared was greeted with delight in the respective counties, where there were fears of the players receiving suspensions. That was after news emerged that the GAC had sought a video of the game. Both Larkin and O’Grady, who were in direct opposition at the time, received yellow cards from Waterford referee Michael Wadding following the particular incident. Shefflin was implicated in another incident at the time.

Both counties will not announce their teams to play in next Monday’s Allianz National Hurling League final at Croke Park until tonight.

However, Kilkenny’s right corner-back Michael Kavanagh will play in the final, against medical advice. He broke a finger in the game against Cork and was not expected to return for at least another two weeks.

DJ Carey, who sustained a neck injury in training last week, is also expected to be named in the Kilkenny team.

Tipperary will be without team captain Brian O’Meara and Eamon Corcoran. O’Meara has a broken toe, while Corcoran is under suspension.

Noel Morris, Martin Maher and John Carroll, all of whom are on the treatment bench at present, are expected to be passed fit to play.

Though free of injury worries, the Limerick football selectors have delayed naming their team to play Westmeath at Croke Park on Sunday until after a training session this evening.

Manager Liam Kearns said there were a number of option available, with Johnny Murphy and Colm Hickey knocking on the door of selection.

Dual player Stephen Lucey, who has not played this season, is definitely out of the equation as a result of the broken finger he picked up on his return to the county hurling team last weekend.

Meanwhile, Kearns has told his players to have no fears of Croke Park. “It is like any other ground, with a patch of green and two goalposts. I know, I played there twice with Kerry in the 1980s.”

None of the Limerick squad has experience of playing at the national stadium, but Kearns does not believe it will be a handicap.

Earlier, the GAA authorities turned down a request from Limerick for a kick-about at the stadium on Saturday.

Kearns pointed out that all his players, with the exception of keeper Seamus O’Donnell, had been to Croke Park as spectators.

Limerick last played a league game in Dublin in 1973 and prior to that had not been there since 1917.

Meanwhile, Kieran Quinn has withdrawn from the Sligo County panel and will take no part in this year’s Connacht SFC.

The Coolera/Strandhill clubman withdrew from the panel in order to concentrate on his exams at Trinity College.