Kingdom boost as McCarthy set to come out of retirement
McCarthy quit the panel after the 2006 All-Ireland triumph, and though he continues to play for his club Kilcummin, he has ignored a number of requests to return to the county fold.
However he is understood to have had a change of heart and is set to return to training ahead of next month’s qualifiers. Meanwhile centre-back Aidan O’Mahony is a major injury concern for Jack O’Connor after sustaining a shoulder injury in Saturday’s Munster SFC semi-final defeat to Cork.
O’Mahony required a half time pain killing injection to complete the game and looks certain to miss Rathmore’s county championship clash with South Kerry on Saturday night.
Meanwhile three Newmarget-on-Fergus players will make their senior hurling championship debuts for Clare against Tipperary in the Munster semi-final at Semple Stadium on Sunday. James McInerney is named at full-back with Colin Ryan on the left flank of attack and David Barrett at full-forward. Alan Markham is selected at left half back with Brian O’Connell and Tony Griffin forming a new midfield partnership. Wexford have made just one change from the side that defeated Offaly last time out for Sunday’s Leinster SHC semi-final clash with Dublin at Nowlan Park, Kilkenny.
Willie Doran of Buffers Alley comes in at right half-forward in place of Andrew Shore, while Riche Kehoe continues at centre-back.
International Rules player Tom Parsons has been dropped by Mayo manager John O’Mahony for Saturday’s Connacht semi-final clash with Roscommon. Parsons has been replaced in midfield by David Heaney.
Meanwhile the GAA has confirmed that the draws for Round One of the Football Qualifier and Phase One and Two of the Hurling Qualifier will take place on Sunday next in Páirc na nGael, Limerick following the Munster Senior Hurling semi-final. The draws will be shown live on TV3 at 6.05pm approximately.
Football Qualifiers Round 1: Includes all counties who have not qualified for provincial semi-final: Down, Carlow, Monaghan, Offaly, Longford, London, Waterford, Tipperary, Leitrim, Armagh, Fermanagh, Meath, Wicklow, Louth, Wexford and Donegal.
This is an open draw. First county drawn in each pairing has home venue, provided the venue meets the criteria set down by the National Infrastructure Committee.
Hurling Qualifiers – Phase One: Includes first round losers: Cork, Offaly, Laois and Antrim.
This is also an open draw – two games – first county drawn in each pairing has home venue. The winners qualify for Phase 3.
Hurling Qualifiers – Phase 2: This draw includes the defeated provincial semi-finalists: Kilkenny/Galway, Wexford/Dublin, Tipperary/Clare and Limerick/Waterford.
This is an open draw – two games – first county drawn in each pairing has home venue. The winners qualify for Phase 3.
CLARE (SHC v Tipperary): P. Brennan; P. Vaughan, J. McInerney, G. O’Grady; P. Donnellan, B. Bugler, A. Markham; B. O’Connell, T. Griffen; T. Carmody, D. McMahon, C. Ryan; N. Gilligan, D. Barrett, J. Clancy.
WEXFORD (SHC v Dublin) : D. Fitzhenry; M. Travers, P. Roche, D. O’Connor; M. Jacob, R. Kehoe, C. Kenny; D. Lyng (C), P. Atkinson; W. Doran, T. Waters, R. Jacob; D. Redmond, S. Banville, S. Doyle.
MAYO (SFC v Roscommon) : K. O’Malley; L. O’Malley, G. Cafferkey, K. Higgins; P. Gardiner, T. Howley, A. Moran; D. Heaney, R. McGarrity; P. Harte, T. Mortimer, A. Dillon; A. Kilcoyne, B. Moran, A. O’Shea.
