London calling for O’Neill as players up for interpro cup
Even long-suffering sponsor Martin Donnelly is beginning to wonder. Earlier this week he admitted he might have to consider the continuation of his financial support if there isn’t a good response for the football final in London.
As the debate continues to rage about the concept’s future, the one constant appears to be that the participants are the ones who favour their retention.
Take Tyrone’s Stephen O’Neill. One of the finest talents in the game, the former Footballer of the Year has three senior All-Irelands, two U21s and one minor in his collection.
Despite all that, the Ulster captain is unhappy that he has only one interpro medal from 2004 and is keen to correct that this year, starting with today’s clash with Leinster.
“I first played in the competition in 2001. I have always enjoyed playing for Ulster and always found the Railway Cup very competitive and good to be involved in.
“I think it is a great competition and it is not very often that you get to play with other players from other counties. Hopefully at Crossmaglen, there will be a lot of people out to support it”
With Cross legend Joe Kernan as manager, that is very likely, but then the Ulster public have always taken this concept to their bosom.
One look at their team confirms how seriously they are taking it this season. Tyrone provide six players. The majority of the starting 15 has either won All Stars, or would be considered their county’s marquee players. The attack in particular has a frightening look to it, with O’Neill joined by county colleague Joe McMahon, Paul Finlay from Monaghan, Down’s Benny Coulter, Donegal’s Young Footballer of the Year Michael Murphy and Derry sharpshooter Paddy Bradley.
Leinster have a strong team too, with manager Paul Caffrey in the happy position of having to whittle down a training panel of 33 to 24. Leinster’s only All Star, Dermot Earley, skippers the team from midfield and is joined by fellow Kildare men, Emmet Bolton and Brian Flanagan. Dublin will also be heavily represented with Bernard Brogan set to link up with the likes of Joe Sheridan (Meath), and Denis Glennon (Westmeath).
Club competition has prevented quite a few players from being available of course, and that is the problem facing many of Kerry’s All-Ireland winners right now as Munster selector John Kiely explains.
“I’ve no doubt in the world that the players want to play. If you really love football, Kerry is the place to be because it’s pure football territory. Getting promoted and relegated is a big deal so every game is important. They have the divisional competitions as well; there’s games every week and clubs that haven’t seen their players during the year are entitled to have them now.
“At the end of the day, the club jersey is the jersey of your birth.
“About four of the Kerry players are injured as well. It’s a pity but it’s not that those lads don’t want to play.”
The Waterford man is proud of the presence of four players from the Déise in the team — the O’Gorman twins and Liam Ó Lionáin were involved last year and dual player Gary Hurney is the target man at full-forward. The key to the competition’s survival it place in the GAA calendar he reckons. “The timing of it is the problem. It comes at the end of the inter-county year when fellas are tired and really, it’s the middle of the club season.
“I like Joe Kernan’s idea of maybe playing the football final on the same day as the All-Ireland club on March 17, and having the hurling later in the year, as it’s really a summer game anyway. I know it’s not easy. The calendar is full, but if you can get a good spot for it, it will do well.”
LEINSTER (v Ulster): G Connaughton (Westmeath), C Hyland (Wicklow), P McMahon (Dublin), E Bolton (Kildare), G Brennan (Dublin), B Flanagan (Kildare), S Kenny (Meath), D Earley (Kildare), J O’Loughlin (Laois), P Flynn (Dublin), J Sheridan (Meath), B Sheenan (Laois), D Glennon (Westmeath), D Rock (Dublin), B Brogan (Dublin).
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