McDonnell to captain Ireland for Rules Series

Armagh forward Steven McDonnell has been announced as the Ireland captain for the 2010 International Rules Series, with team manager Anthony Tohill also confirming a 22-man squad for this month's two Tests against Australia.

McDonnell, 31, is joined by fellow Armagh players Brendan Donaghy and Ciaran McKeever in a panel which sees 14 different counties represented.

Tohill said: "I would like to thank the players, selectors and members of the back room team who have trained extremely hard over the past number of weeks.

"The level of commitment has been excellent. The strong interest shown by the players demonstrates their enthusiasm for the game and the importance players place on representing their country."

Players from Armagh, Dublin, Cork, Tyrone, Down, Wicklow, Kildare, Louth, Kerry, Roscommon, Carlow, Donegal, Meath and Galway are included, with Galway defender Finian Hanley named as vice-captain.

All-Ireland champions Cork have three players selected, with All-Stars Graham Canry and Michael Shields along with Daniel Goulding making the cut.

Meanwhile, Emmet Bolton of Kildare, Clare's Gary Brennan of Clare, Westmeath goalkeeper Gary Connaughton, Benny Coulter of Down, Dublin's Eamon Fennell, John McCarthy of Limerick and Offaly's Niall McNamee have been named as stand-by players.

Coulter, who won an All-Star award yesterday, has been struggling with a hamstring injury but is expected to be fit for the second game against the Australians at Croke Park on October 30.

There are no current Kerry players involved in the Irish set-up as Paul Galvin was not considered for selection, and both Kieran Donaghy and Declan O'Sullivan have commitments with their clubs.

But former Kingdom stars Tommy Walsh and Tadhg Kennelly, who are plying their trade in the Australian Football League, have made the squad. There are six members of Tohill's panel who have experience of Aussie Rules - Walsh, Kennelly, Martin Clarke, Colm Begley, Michael Shields and Brendan Murphy.

The Series gets underway at Limerick's Gaelic Grounds on Saturday week (October 23).

IRELAND 2010 INTERNATIONAL RULES SQUAD:

Captain: Steven McDonnell (Armagh)

Vice-captain: Finian Hanley (Galway)

Colm Begley (Laois)

Bernard Brogan (Dublin)

Graham Canty (Cork)

Seán Cavanagh (Tyrone)

Martin Clarke (Down)

Stephen Cluxton (Dublin)

Brendan Donaghy (Armagh)

Leighton Glynn (Wicklow)

Daniel Goulding (Cork)

James Kavanagh (Kildare)

Paddy Keenan (Louth)

Tadhg Kennelly (Kerry)

Seán McDermott (Roscommon)

Ciarán McKeever (Armagh)

Kevin McKernan (Down)

Brendan Murphy (Carlow)

Michael Murphy (Donegal)

Kevin Reilly (Meath)

Michael Shields (Cork)

Tommy Walsh (Kerry)

Stand-By Players:

Emmet Bolton (Kildare)

Gary Brennan (Clare)

Gary Connaughton (Westmeath)

Benny Coulter (Down)

Eamonn Fennell (Dublin)

Johnny McCarthy (Limerick)

Niall McNamee (Offaly)