Reale opts out of Limerick squad

Former captain Damien Reale has stepped down from the Limerick senior hurling panel.

The influential defender is understood to be angry over the changes manager Justin McCarthy has made to the squad.

McCarthy has controversially dropped dual players Stephen Lucey and Mark O'Riordan along with Niall Moran, Andrew O'Shaughnessy, Donie Ryan and Mike O'Brien from his panel - all key players in recent seasons. It is understood that experienced defender Mark Foley is also not in the squad.

The Limerick boss is keen to bring in "some new blood" for the 2010 campaign and also made reference to "a better code of discipline" and improved commitment from the players in a recent interview with the Irish Examiner.

There is widespread anger about these wholesale squad changes, with the recently retired Ollie Moran going public about his displeasure.

"I'm seething and shocked at the insinuation in there that those guys lacked commitment," Moran said in an interview this week.

"To infer now that they were lacking in commitment to Limerick, that they were somehow dishonest, distracted, broke a code of discipline really rankles.

"The way they found out is annoying as well. Fellas who have given years of service to Limerick didn't even get the courtesy of a phone call."

Moran said that the players being retained in the panel were sent text messages about their call-ups, while those being dropped 'got nothing.'

"Then again, I'm not surprised. Communication wasn't a strong point with this management," he added.

A meeting is being mooted to take place between Limerick GAA Chairman Liam Lenihan and the dropped players and others who are unhappy about how things are being handled by the management.

McCarthy held a team meeting with his rejigged squad last Wednesday in the Kilmurry Lodge Hotel, however 12 players failed to show for it. The same players, who had not received a text message about the planned meeting, were also absent for a trial match last Friday.

However, this scheduled series of trial matches is about finding potential new players and if McCarthy does not unearth any, Lenihan told the Limerick Leader that the omitted players could yet be included in the Shannonsiders' finalised panel for next year.