Dublin managers set for meeting to discuss dual player issue

DUBLIN football manager Paul Caffrey will meet his hurling counterpart Humphrey Kelleher on Sunday to discuss the dual player issue.

Kelleher will be hoping for a more liberal attitude from the Na Fianna clubman than was the case with his predecessor Tommy Lyons, when the pair meet for the annual Blue Stars games in Kilbarrack.

Lyons believed it was not possible to serve two masters at such a high level.

Caffrey was unavailable to comment yesterday evening but his will be the crucial voice in determining if Conal Keaney, Shane Ryan and David Henry play a part in Kelleher’s plans.

“I met with Paul soon after he was appointed but I didn’t get the opportunity to speak to him about the dual player issue,” said Kelleher yesterday.

“We have the two matches this Sunday though and I would hope to sit down then and have a chat about it.

“It would be a huge boost to the hurlers to have those lads involved with us as well. I would be hopeful we could work something out.

“Shane, David and Conal would be the only three guys I could see at this point being involved with both teams. We had a challenge match against Antrim in November when David turned out for us and that’s encouraging for the hurlers.”

Meanwhile, Armagh boss Joe Kernan has been boosted by the news that 2003’s Footballer of the Year Steven McDonnell is expected to be fit for the first round of the National League in February.

McDonnell suffered a recurrence of a foot injury in the first International Rules test against Australia in October. Although he was expected to be back to full fitness within four weeks, the Killeavey man hasn’t played since.

With the Crossmaglen contingent absent until their All-Ireland club duties are complete and eight more players playing Dr McKenna Cup for their colleges, the Armagh squad was depleted thin for last week’s win over Down. Kernan is also hopeful long-serving forward Diarmuid Marsden will commit to one more year with the county panel.

“Paddy McKeever and Kieran McGeeney will be back from holidays in a few weeks. It’s great to see because we have been a bit short. We had to play two club players against Down last weekend just to plug the gaps.”

Tyrone star Enda McGinley is also hoping to be fit for the start of the NFL after suffering another injury setback.

The 2003 All-Ireland winner, who came back from a career-threatening neck injury, limped off during Tyrone’s McKenna Cup match at Cavan on Sunday. McGinley could be out for three weeks with a sprained ankle.

“It is a bad start to the new year for Enda. He had been playing well,” said Tyrone boss Mickey Harte.

“It was nice to have him back in the fold again because 2004 was basically a lost year for him.”

Elsewhere, Kildare senior manager Padraig Nolan will also act as U21 boss this season as last year’s Leinster-winning coach Peter McConnon is about to start a 12-month tour as a UN police observer in Cyprus.

Laois selector Declan O’Loughlin has confirmed that defender Derek Conroy will be out of action for several weeks after injuring a knee in the O’Byrne Cup win over Offaly. However, Conroy should make the start of the league. A scan on forward Ross Munnelly has revealed only some bruised ribs and he could be available for this weekend’s tie against Kilkenny.

This weekend’s action also sees Luke Dempsey face Westmeath for the first time since his unhappy exit from the county 17 months ago.

The Carlow native was involved with the Lake County at various levels for eight years up to 2003, but the love affair waned, with votes of no confidence in him tabled, and then reversed, by the players while the county board decided to tender for the position of manager.

In the end, Dempsey stepped down.

“I’m not looking at Sunday’s game in terms of it being a local derby or anything else people might think,” Dempsey said. “The aim for us in the O’Byrne Cup before it started was to get two matches out of it and we’ve done that. Anything else is a bonus. There’s no personal aspect attached to it for me at all.

“It’s a good match for Longford at this stage of the year. The game against UCD last week was as good for us as four challenge matches rolled into one for all we learned about ourselves and that’s how we’ll be looking to this game as well.”

Sligo will have their first competitive outing under new manager Dom Corrigan against Clare in the FBD Connacht football league at Kilcoyne Park, Tubbercurry on Sunday.Gerry McGowan and Dara McGarty will miss the game as both are out of the country. The side to be picked after training in Enniscrone tonight is expected to include a number of new players.