Munster boost as Cussen set for final battle

MICHAEL CUSSEN looks set to feature for Munster in Saturday night’s Martin Donnelly Interprovincial Senior Football final in Portlaoise against Connacht, despite being involved with Sarsfields in the first round of the Munster Club SHC on Sunday.

Cussen played at full-forward for his province in Saturday’s semi-final win over Ulster but there had been doubts over his availability this weekend due to the Cork SHC champions clash with their Clare counterparts Clonlara. Munster manager Gerard O’Sullivan revealed: “At this stage it looks like he will travel with us and will be able to partake in the game. It’s a huge boost for us as we are short players in the forward department.”

Kerry corner-back Pádraig Reidy will also link up with the side after playing a club match on Saturday afternoon. Reidy lines out for Scartglen in the East Kerry SFC (O’Donoghue Cup) semi-final before joining O’Sullivan’s squad. Munster also welcome back Tipperary defender Robbie Costigan to their panel as he was tied up until last weekend with his club Cahir, who lost last Sunday’s Tipperary SFC Final. Waterford’s Gary Hurney is still absent due to Abbeyside’s county SHC semi-final replay on Sunday and Cork defender Ger Spillane is sidelined through injury.

“It’s not an ideal situation,” admitted O’Sullivan. “It’s not going to be easy for Pádraig Reidy to play two games in one day but we’re thankful to have him. Robbie Costigan is also back but our problem is these are all defenders. I was hoping the Kerry semi-finals last Sunday would go our way but they didn’t. If Mid Kerry lost, we could have got Darran O’Sullivan and Sean O’Sullivan, and if South Kerry had lost, then Declan O’Sullivan and Bryan Sheehan would have been available. But none went our way, which is a pity because we are short forwards.

“Still, we are looking forward to the match on Saturday. I have to say how much the players are interested in this. We’ll be training tonight in Mallow and there will be a full turnout here again. From a Cork point of view, everyone I asked was enthusiastic about playing. Unfortunately some couldn’t play, with the three lads in Australia, and then John Hayes, Fintan Goold, Kieran O’Connor and Noel O’Leary all had holidays. But the interest in other counties is good. The lads are looking forward to Saturday and the prospect of an interprovincial medal.”

Meanwhile Luke Dempsey has been nominated by the Carlow County Board executive to replace ex-Dublin star, Paul Bealin, as county football manager. The former Carlow footballer, a star in the 70s, has previously managed Westmeath and Longford and was the front-runner in the Meath managerial race until last Monday week, when he stunned Royal County fans by withdrawing from the race.

Dempsey managed Carlow for a brief spell in 2004 when he led them to a 4-16 to 1-15 trashing of Longford in the Leinster championship before narrowly losing to Laois in the quarter final. He refused to take the post permanently at that time citing the driving distance from his Mullingar home to the South-East county.