Cork ace Canty to be named Irish captain

CORK’S Graham Canty will tomorrow be named captain of Ireland’s International Rules squad for Australia.

The Bantry ace will follow in the footsteps of Anthony Tohill and John McDermott and lead his country into the two-match series next month in Perth and Melbourne.

However, there are further injury concerns for manager John O’Keeffe, with Kerry’s Darragh O Sé now unlikely to make the trip due to a persistent ankle problem.

O’Keeffe has already lost skipper Seamus Moynihan and Tadgh Kennelly, and may now have to plan without O Sé, who has not fully recovered from the ankle injury sustained ahead of the Munster final in July.

That could mean there will be no Kerry representative when the travelling party is announced tomorrow in Dublin.

Moynihan’s absence gives Canty the opportunity to finish a disappointing club and inter county season on a high.

“Injuries are getting to be a concern,” the Irish manager said. “I'm just looking forward to finalising the panel so that we can concentrate on the job in hand.”

Kennelly and Moynihan were among the first 11 players announced last week as members of the travelling panel.

Twenty-seven players will travel to Australia.