Begley’s demotion in the past, says Laois boss

Laois manager Tomas Ó Flatharta insists the county has moved on from the mini-controversy that saw Colm Begley dropped from the squad to face Wicklow in the first round of the Leinster Championship.

Begley was relegated having turned out for his club (and employer, Parnells) in a Dublin championship fixture earlier that week and Ó Flatharta accepted at the time the player had been faced with an awkward dilemma.

Begley has trained with the squad ever since and will feature against the Dubs. More pressing for Ó Flatharta right now is the situation at full-back.

Denis Booth, who played there against Wicklow, is suspended having picked up a red card which places the emphasis on Mark Timmons, who excelled in the role at the start of the league campaign.

Timmons has been inactive since tearing his hamstring back in mid-March and Ó Flatharta was cagey when asked if the Graiguecullen man would be fit and ready to face Dublin.

The player himself was more optimistic.

“It’s coming on,” he reported last night. “It’s 11 weeks since I got the injury in the National League and I’m back training the past two weeks and everything is going well so I hope to be available.

“I’ll put the hand up alright, it’s just whether Tomas will pick me or not. The lads did so well in the Wicklow game that they have all got their hands up as well. All I can do is work hard in training and hope I’ve done enough to be in there.”

With the rampaging Eoghan O’Gara likely to start at 14 for the All-Ireland champions, full-back is one among a number of positions Laois cannot afford to be short at going in to the Leinster quarter-final.

“All the back area really is very important for us,” said Ó Flatharta, “not alone there but around midfield and every other place as well. Dublin have some very talented players and we have to have the right guys in the right position for anywhere really.”