Gaels star Kearns set to miss semi-final clash with Loughgiel

O’LOUGHLIN GAELS full-back Andy Kearns has been ruled out of the AIB All-Ireland Club SHC semi-final clash with Ulster kingpins Loughgiel Shamrocks on February 19.

Kearns was taken off midway through the first half of last Sunday’s Leinster final victory against Oulart-the-Ballagh with a serious hamstring injury.

And manager Mick Nolan revealed yesterday that Kearns is a definite non-starter when the Kilkenny and Leinster champions attempt to reach the All-Ireland final for the first time.

Nolan said: “He won’t play in the next match — it’s a bad tear. He tore it three weeks ago and was told it needed another week or two. But Andy was anxious to play and when he went on a run up the field, his hamstring went.”

Kearns had shown very good form in O’Loughlin Gaels’ club campaign, form which has caught the eye of Kilkenny manager Brian Cody.

It is understood Kearns is one of a number of players set to be called into the county squad once O’Loughlin Gaels’ club campaign is complete.

Centre-back Brian Hogan and forward Martin Comerford are already established with the Cats, while sources indicated Mark Bergin, Kearns and Maurice Nolan, son of club boss Mick, are on an extended county squad.

However, there is no news yet on which player the club will nominate to captain the county team for 2011, with Comerford and Brian Hogan the obvious favourites on the basis of seniority.

Nolan said: “We’re waiting until this is over and Brian Cody hasn’t disturbed us at any stage. He’s happy enough to wait and see who he will call in.

“He hasn’t told us he’s bringing anyone else in off our panel. We’ll leave things like that up to Brian — that’s his job.”

Hogan’s move to full-back and Comerford’s switch to centre-forward were two of the key moves last Sunday as O’Loughlin Gaels turned a late four-point deficit into a three-point victory at Carlow’s Dr Cullen Park.

Nolan reflected: “It was a very competitive game. We should have been five or six points down at half-time but we went in one down and knew we were in a great position then.

“We made a couple of changes that turned the tide — Maurice (Nolan) went over on David Redmond at midfield and Martin came out the field. The scores started coming inside. Brian Hogan was massive at full-back when he went back in there.”

Nolan added: “We outscored Oulart seven points to one in the last 10 minutes. We have belief that we never give in.

“We know nothing about Loughgiel but we know they’re not too bad and they have a very capable forward in Liam Watson. They’re after playing some inter-county teams recently and beat some of them — we won’t be taking them for granted.”