Ryan to miss Dubs’ date with Cork
Brady’s hand is badly bruised, while McCaffrey is troubled by a groin injury. Both undergo fitness tests tonight.
Colm Bonnar, the new Wexford manager, has given call-up papers to Oulart-The-Ballagh’s Nicky Kirwan for the Yellow Bellies second division trip to Kerry on Sunday. Kirwan will line out at top of the left, and he has also given the nod to Dermot Flynn to take over in goal from Damien Fitzhenry, while Anthony O’Connell from Rathnure, continues at left corner back, following some good performances in the Walsh Cup.
Cathal Dillon from the Crusheen club is expected to make his first league appearance at full back for Clare when they take on arch-rivals Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday. Also likely to be included is versatile forward Colin Ryan from the Newmarket-on-Fergus club.
Waterford manager John Kiely introduces two newcomers for his side’s Allianz NFL clash with Wicklow at Aughrim on Saturday. Promising CIT player Sean O’Hehir gets a call-up at midfield, while Conor McGrath, Bricky Rangers, is at right-half forward. The Déise team is notable for the inclusion of twin brothers Tomás and Maurice O’Gorman, at full-back and full-forward, respectively.
Meanwhile, Galway are sweating on the availability of attacker Nicky Joyce for their league clash with Dublin on Sunday week at Pearse Stadium. Joyce, who skippered them to the FBD League title the previous week against Roscommon, was stretchered off after an off-the-ball incident which incensed manager Liam Sammon against Westmeath on Sunday. Joyce is suffering from a knee injury and Galway are waiting on the results of an MRI scan.
Galway will be without midfielder Barry Cullinane after he got a red card in the 2-10 to 0-11 win over Westmeath.
Meath football boss Eamon O’Brien says he’s hopeful big midfielder Mark Ward will be back to boost the Royals in the NFL clash with Fermanagh at Navan on Saturday week. Ward picked up a hamstring injury in the O’Byrne Cup defeat by Kildare on January 4 and missed last Sunday’s defeat by Cork. “If the match against Fermanagh was next weekend, Mark would have no chance of making it,” said O’Brien, who succeeded Colm Coyle in the Meath hot seat.
“But, hopefully, the extra week will make the difference. He has been doing a bit of rehab work in the gym.”
However, O’Brien admits the prospects of forwards Shane O’Rourke and Brian Farrell lining out against the Ernesiders are less favourable. O’Rourke has carried a groin injury for some time, and Farrell pulled his hamstring in training two weeks ago.
According to O’Brien, two encouraging aspects of the game against Cork were the performances of goalkeeper Paddy O’Rourke and full-forward Caoimhin King. After figuring in the O’Byrne Cup in the position occupied last year by Brendan Murphy, who has gone playing soccer with Longford Town, Skryne’s O’Rourke was making his NFL debut in the clash against the Leesiders. And after making a name as a wing-back, King was lining out in the No 14 spot for the first time.
“Paddy was very sound. His kick-outs were first class,” said O’Brien.
“The goal Cork scored would have been very difficult to stop, as it was a flicked effort. Caoimhin scored two points from play, and I’m sure he would have made even more impact if we had been able to get more quality ball in to him.” Notwithstanding the Páirc Uí Chaoimh result, O’Brien says he will continue his policy of trying to unearth fresh talent.
D. Flynn; B. O’Leary, R. Kehoe, A. O’Connell; M. Jacob, D. O’Connor, C. Kenny; C. Farrell, D. Redmond; S. Doyle, E. Quigley, D. ‘Gizzey’ Lyng; R. Jacob, S. Banville, N. Kirwan.
T. Wall; S. Prendergast, T. O’Gorman, M. Prendergast; W. Hennesy, E. Rockett, P. Ogle; S. O’Hehir, M. Ahern; C. McGrath, B. Walsh, D. Casey; L. Lawlor, M. O’Gorman, L. O’Linnane.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
