Commercials come first as Gooch out of NY trip

Colm Cooper has had to opt out of this week’s GAA-GPA Opel All Stars trip to New York due to Dr Crokes’ Munster Club SFC semi-final against Clonmel Commercials this Sunday.

As a 2011 All Star, the outgoing Kerry captain was entitled to be among the travelling party who depart tomorrow. Instead, the five-night trip clashes with the game in Killarney.

Although Karl Lacey has been named in the 2011 travelling All Stars for Saturday’s exhibition game inGaelic Park alongside former team-mate Kevin Cassidy, injury is likely to prevent him from teaming up with the Gweedore man who he last lined out with in the 2011 All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Dublin.

However, Neil McGee is also in the 2011 group, which will be managed by Pat Gilroy, against the 2012 All Stars team led by Cassidy’s former team-mate Jim McGuinness.

Donegal captain Michael Murphy, who publicly backed McGuinness’s decision to axe Cassidy last year, is one of four current All-Ireland champions in the 2012 side.

Mayo’s Ger Cafferkey and Donegal pair Frank McGlynn and Colm McFadden are the three absentees from the 2012 All Stars team while, apart from Cooper, Stephen Cluxton is the only other missing 2011 All Star.

Eoin Cadogan, Donnacha O’Connor and Paul Kerrigan are among the 12 replacements who have been added due to some players being unavailable, bringing Cork’s total to five.

Kerry, meanwhile, have four players on the flight with auxiliaries Tomás Ó Sé and Brendan Kealy joining 2011 All Stars Marc Ó Sé and Bryan Sheehan.

Saturday’s exhibition game takes place at Gaelic Park in The Bronx at 11pm Irish time. This year’s All-Ireland final referee, Laois’s Maurice Deegan, takes charge of the match.

It will be preceded by a game between the Fire Department of New York and the NYPD at 9pm Irish time. The touring party, who will also attend Thursday’s Irish-American Gaelic Heritage gala awards fundraiser in aid of the GPA, arrive back to Ireland next Tuesday.

Double All Stars — (2011 and 2012): Karl Lacey, Neil McGee (both Donegal), Paul Flynn (Dublin).

2011 Travelling All Stars: Paul Flynn (Dublin), Marc Ó Sé (Kerry), Bryan Sheehan (Kerry), Karl Lacey (Donegal), Alan Brogan (Dublin), Kevin Cassidy (Donegal), Andy Moran (Mayo), Bernard Brogan (Dublin), Kevin Nolan (Dublin), Michael Darragh Macauley (Dublin), Darran O’Sullivan (Kerry), Neil McGee (Donegal), Michael Foley (Kildare).

2012 Travelling All Stars: Aidan Walsh, Colm O’Neill (both Cork); Neil Gallagher, Mark McHugh, Michael Murphy, Paul Durcan (all Donegal); Keith Higgins, Lee Keegan, Alan Dillon (Mayo).

Replacements: Eoin Cadogan, Donnacha O’Connor, Paul Kerrigan (all Cork); Tomás Ó Sé, Brendan Kealy (both Kerry); Cillian O’Connor, Kevin McLoughlin (both Mayo); Rory O’Carroll, Kevin McManamon (both Dublin); Anthony Thompson (Donegal); Ben Brosnan (Wexford); Joe McMahon (Tyrone).