Grogan set to quit Tipp

Tipperary footballers are about to suffer a devastating pre-championship blow with the news star forward Barry Grogan is on the verge of moving to the US for work purposes.

Grogan, a plumber by trade, is expected to link up with the Wolfe Tones GAA club in Boston. It is unclear whether or not he will play against Kerry in next month’s Munster SFC clash. New Tipperary boss Peter Creedon said last night that Grogan’s move is not yet fully confirmed but the Cork man appeared resigned to losing the services of the highly-rated forward.

“We can’t afford to lose anybody, never mind a top scoring forward, because our playing pool is limited. But we’re living in difficult times and this is a reflection of that.”

Meanwhile, Dublin have made four changes for their Division 1 football clash with Mayo tonight. James McCarthy replaces Johnny Cooper in defence, Ross McConnell comes in at midfield for Eamonn Fennell while Paul Brogan and Barry Cahill replace Paul Flynn and Alan Brogan in attack. Limerick attacker Shane Dowling comes back into their side at right half-forward for tomorrow’s Division 1B hurling tie against Antrim.

Elsewhere, former Clare captain Brian O’Connell is set for a sensational return to the senior hurling panel for this summer’s championship.

O’Connell, 27, played no part in Clare’s 2011 National League and championship season having emigrated to Australia in search of work.

But the Wolfe Tones powerhouse has returned to Ireland and it has emerged he played for Clare against Galway in a challenge match last weekend.

It is understood that manager Davy Fitzgerald will monitor the player’s fitness over the next two and a half months, with a view to possibly including O’Connell in his squad for the Munster SHC semi-final clash against Waterford on June 17.

DUBLIN (SF v Mayo): S Cluxton; C O’Sullivan, R O’Carroll, P McMahon; J McCarthy, G Brennan, K Nolan; MD MacAuley, R McConnell; P Brogan; B Cahill, B Cullen; T Quinn, D Connolly, K McManamon.

LIMERICK (SH v Antrim): N Quaid; S Walsh, R McCarthy, T Condon; W McNamara, D O’Grady, G O’Mahoney; P Browne, J Ryan; S Dowling, D Breen, C Allis; G Mulcahy, N Moran, T Quaid.

WATERFORD (SF v Carlow): K Cotter; M O’Gorman, T O’Gorman, K Connery; T Grey, E Walsh, W Hennessy; S Ahearne, S O’Hare; A Brophy, P Hurney, C O’Keeffe; M Ferncombe, G Hurney, J Veale.

KERRY (SH v Derry): PJ Gorman; J O’Connor, T Murnane, R Horgan; M Lynch, J Casey, A O’Connor; D Walsh, A Fealy; C Harty, G O’Brien; D O’Connell; J Flaherty, A Boyle (capt), PJ Connolly (Ballyduff).