Lucky 13 get call-up for All-Star trip east

THE defection of all of Cork’s award winners opened the door for 13 replacements to be included in the 2004 and 2005 Vodafone All-Star teams which will play an exhibition game in Singapore on Saturday.

The All-Ireland champions had Diarmuid O'Sullivan, Sean Óg Ó hAilpín and Jerry O'Connor chosen as All-Stars both years, along with four others in 2004 and a further three last year. The panels announced yesterday are notable for the inclusion of seven players from Waterford, six from All-Ireland runners-up Galway and five from Clare.

The teams will be managed by Cork coach John Allen and his predecessor Donal O'Grady. Allen returned from South Africa with the Cork squad at the weekend and while admitting a disappointment that none of his players can travel, he stressed all of them withdrew for genuine reasons.

Club commitments ruled out the Newtownshandrum trio, Ben and Jerry O'Connor and Pat Mulcahy. And, the Galway players Ollie Canning and Damien Hayes members of the Portumna team which meets James Stephens in the All-Ireland club semi-final next month withdrew for the same reason.

Interestingly, however, James Stephens forward Eoin Larkin will be travelling. Last October he missed out on a trip to Australia with the Defence Forces because of a clash with the Kilkenny county final.

Allen's Cork selectors have arranged two challenge games for this weekend against University of Limerick and former Cork county champions Na Piarsaigh.

"The timing of exams at UL will determine which game will be played on Saturday," said selector Joe O'Leary. "None of the players who will line out with Cork in these games will have played senior championship in the county.

"Our idea is to try and find a few new faces. There is a lot of talent in the lower grades and this will give players the opportunity to show what they can do.

"The holiday was a trip of a lifetime and we thoroughly enjoyed it, but it's back to the grindstone now as we begin our preparation to defend our titles."

Meanwhile fellow selector Patsy Morrissey is the new coach to the University of Limerick team for the duration of the Fitzgibbon Cup.

Morrissey helped take Newtownshandrum to county, Munster and All-Ireland honours in 2004. He takes over UL from his friend Ger Cunningham who was Newtown's coach two years ago. He is currently coach to Tipperary county champions Thurles Sarsfields and a Limerick senior team selector.

Elsewhere the Tipperary side to play Limerick in the quarter-final of the Waterford Crystal Cup competition on Sunday has been announced.

The selectors have gone for an experimental team, including just four of the side which lost to Galway in the All-Ireland SHC quarter-final.

A number of the current panel are unavailable due to involvement with the third level colleges while Eoin Kelly, Paul Kelly, Eamonn Corcoran and Philip Maher are in Singapore this week with the All-Stars.

All-star panels are as follows (*denotes All-Star): VODAFONE ALL-STARS 2004: *D. Fitzhenry (Wexford), E. Corcoran (Tipperary), B. Lohan (Clare), *T. Walsh (Kilkenny), *JJ Delaney (do), S. McMahon (Clare), O. Moran (Limerick), D. Bennett (Waterford), A. Fenlon (Wexford), *D. Shanahan (Waterford), T. Carmody (Clare), N. Moran (Limerick), E. Kelly (Waterford), N. Gilligan (Clare), *P. Flynn (Waterford), *K. McGrath (Waterford),

VODAFONE ALL-STARS 2005: *D. Fitzgerald (Clare); P. Maher (Tipperary), D. Ryan (Wexford), D. Joyce (Galway), *D. Hardiman (Galway), D. O'Connor (Wexford), T. Óg Regan (Galway), F. Healy (Galway), *P. Kelly (Tipperary), J. Mullane (Waterford), S. Prendergast (do), E. Larkin (Kilkenny), *G. Farragher (Galway), *E. Kelly (Tipperary), D. Forde (Galway).

The official party, which will be led by GAA

President Sean Kelly, will fly out from Heathrow tomorrow evening and return next Wednesday.

TIPPERARY (SH v. Limerick): D Young (Drom & Inch); E Buckley (Drom & Inch), S McDermott (Cappawhite), P Curran (Mullinahone); D

McGrath (Knockavilla Kickhams), J Devane (Clonoulty-Rossmore), L England (Roscrea); B Dunne (Toomevara), N Curran (Mullinahone); K Tucker (Nenagh Eire Óg), C Morrissey (Galtee Rovers), J Enright (Thurles Sarsfields); S Butler (Drom & Inch), P O'Brien (Toomevara), P Kerwick (Killenaule)