Hanley in plea for lesser lights

Westmeath hurling manager Brian Hanley has pleaded with the GAA not to exclude his side and Carlow as they draw up a new hurling league structure.

The Galway native, who won three All-Ireland club medals with Athenry, said it would be ‘‘a disaster’’ if they not included with the big counties.

Under the original proposals for 2014, both counties were to be left out of the elite level, as the top 12 county teams would be split into two groups, with the top two teams from each group meeting in the league semi-finals.