Limerick plunged into crisis

LIMERICK hurling was plunged deep into crisis this Wednesday night when four more players walked away from Justin McCarthy’s senior hurling panel.
The latest to quit in protest are Brian Geary, Donal O’Grady, Seamus Hickey and Wayne McNamara.


As Ireland’s World Cup soccer torture was unfolding in Paris, Limerick GAA officials were meeting in the Gaelic Grounds where confirmation of the latest withdrawals were made known to the executive officers.
Leader Sport understands that the quartet contacted Limerick GAA chairman Liam Lenihan last evening to confirm their decision to follow Damien Reale and James Ryan out of the panel in protest at the manner of McCarthy’s wholesale changes.
Geary, O’Grady, Hickey and McNamara would represent a wealth of inter-county experience.
Hickey was this season nominated for a GPA All-Star while Geary and O’Grady have amassed over 60 championship appearances between them. Monaleen centre-back Geary made his Limerick debut back in 1999 while O’Grady is a midfield regular since 2004.
Three weeks ago, on October 28, Justin McCarthy called a meeting of the remainder of his 2009 panel to plan for the new season and it became clear that regulars such as Mark Foley, Stephen Lucey, Niall Moran, Andrew O’Shaughnessy, Donie Ryan and Mike O’Brien had all been omitted. Within days Damien Reale and James Ryan withdrew from the panel in protest.
Now a further four players have departed leaving McCarthy, Brian Ryan and Liam Garvey with just 12 players remaining from the 2009 panel that was beaten by 24-points in the All-Ireland semi-final by Tipperary.
Leader Sport contacted manager Justin McCarthy this Thursday morning, but he only offered “no comment”.
Limerick GAA chairman Liam Lenihan and secretary Mike O’Riordan were also contacted, but neither were willing to comment only to say that PRO Helen Cross would issue a statement. The brief statement has reiterated that the officers of the county board are continuing to give their full backing to Justin McCarthy.
“At a meeting of the management committee of Limerick County Board it was decided unanimously to support Justin McCarthy and his management team for 2010,” explained the one-line statement from the executive.
Until this Wednesday’s night’s dramatic withdrawals it had been hoped that the fall-out from McCarthy’s wholesale changes to the Limerick senior hurling panel had petered out.
With the endorsement of Limerick GAA officials McCarthy, Brian Ryan and Liam Garvey had continued their progress towards assembled a new panel. Two full-strength teams lined up in Martinstown last Friday night and another trial game is planned to take place on the weekend after next.
Management plan to take a break at that point until the New Year when another trial will help them select their final panel ahead of the first round of the Waterford Crystal Cup in mid-January.
The planned trial on the weekend of November 28-29 would offer management an opportunity to look at a number of players that missed the earlier trials as their clubs were involved in local and provincial championships. However, this saga will no doubt take a number of twists before the next planned trials.
There will, no doubt, be calls for the removal of Justin McCarthy even though he has been afforded the backing of all Limerick GAA chiefs.
Back in the summer of 2008 when McCarthy lost the support of the Waterford players, he resigned.
Over 30 per cent of McCarthy’s initial 2010 panel of 18 have now walked out and that was after his initial clearout of another 30 per cent of the 2009 panel.
Just 12 members of the 2009 panel remain and the focus will now turn in their direction.

Jerome O’Connell

Clubs of the county must have their say

IT is unconceivable that Limerick would start the 2010 National Hurling League without over a dozen of Shannonside’s most experienced inter-county hurlers.
Many supporters had given their backing to Justin McCarthy’s initial clear-out of his panel as that was his right to do so as team manager - albeit most would not have been in favour of his lack of communication with the affected players.
However when the likes of Brian Geary, Damien Reale, Donal O’Grady, Seamus Hickey, James Ryan and Wayne McNamara walk away from the panel in protest, the situation reaches crisis-point.


Justin McCarthy is more than entitled to make any changes he wishes to his panel, but he must also be responsible for the man-management of all players.
His wholesale changes have also had a domino affect with Damien Reale and the recently-retired Ollie Moran both quoted in the national media questioning aspects of McCarthy’s training as well as the manner in which he dropped players.
To see six experienced and highly-respected players walking away from any panel sounds alarm bells and McCarthy’s position could come under threat if a full meeting of the County Board were to be scheduled.
Simply, hurling in the county is not strong enough to compete at the highest level without this calibre of player.
Justin McCarthy and selectors Brian Ryan and Liam Garvey could plough forward with the 12 remaining members of the 2009 panel and select another 20 from the on-going trials, but Limerick would be left with a most inexperienced panel - of the 12 players that remain on the inter-county panel, seven of them only made their championship debuts this summer. Just Brian Murray and James O’Brien could be seen as experienced campaigners.
The remaining ten players (Tom Condon, Paul Browne, David Breen, Denis Moloney, David Moloney, Graeme Mulcahy, Gavin O’Mahony, Bryan O’Sullivan, Paudie McNamara & Stephen Walsh) have a total of just 31 senior championship appearances between them.
What happens if results are not favourable when the league starts in late-February?
It’s too late at that point to re-visit this crisis.
Firstly a full meeting of Limerick County Board must be called immediately to gauge the feeling of all club delegates.
And, what would be vital is that all delegates should be have already canvassed the feelings of their respective clubs before attending.
At this point 11 clubs of the 69 in the county have seen club players walk away or dropped from the inter-county panel.
If the clubs of the county want to back McCarthy and his management team so be it.
The executive officers of Limerick GAA have given their backing to Justin McCarthy, but it’s time they asked the clubs they represent for their views on the crisis.

Jerome O’Connell

Hurling panel controversy peters out

THE fall-out from Justin McCarthy’s wholesale changes to the Limerick senior hurling panel appears to have petered out.
And, it appears that the players have accepted McCarthy’s decision to cull a significent number of the squad for ‘disciplinary’ reasons.


No meeting of the entire 2009 panel has taken place, nor has there been any meeting between players and management, although County Board officials did meet with Justin McCarthy during the past week.
A meeting of the executive of Limerick GAA was to discuss the issue this Wednesday night while the first opportunity for club delegates to raise any concerns will come on December 7 when the Annual Convention takes place in Caherconlish.
Meanwhile it’s onwards and upwards as McCarthy Brian Ryan and Liam Garvey continue to assemble their new panel.
Two full-strength teams lined up in Martinstown last Friday night and another trial game will take place on the weekend after next.
Management will then break until the New Year when another trial will help them select their final panel ahead of the first round of the Waterford Crystal Cup in mid-January.
The trial on the weekend of November 28-29 will offer management an opportunity to look at a number of players that missed the earlier trials as their clubs were involved in local and provincial championships.
As the current Limerick bye-law stipulates Adare will provide the county captain for 2010 and at present Wayne McNamara is the only member of the three-in-a-row winning side on the inter-county panel.
The future of Mark Foley remains unclear, but his recent performances for Adare would suggest that he clearly has something to offer on the hurling field in 2010, be it with Limerick or just with his club.
One player of note to attend the second series of trials last Friday night was Tadhg Flynn, the former Kerry goalkeeper who has lined out with Ahane in recent seasons.
With Dave Bulfin withdrawing from the panel for personal reasons, management are looking at a number of goalkeeping options including Flynn, Barry Hennessy and Aaron Murphy.
Another position that management will have to identify is that of free-taker with regular placed-ball experts Andrew O’Shaughnessy and Niall Moran both omitted from the panel at present. The 16 players that remain from the 2009 panel are to continue to work on their personal gym programmes for the months of November and December.
Scor
THE AGM of County Scor Committee will take place on Friday November 20 at 8pm in the Woodlands House Hotel.
Dan Hickey, PRO for Limerick’s Scor committee is hoping that all clubs actively organise and promote Scor activity in their own areas.
“All clubs are strongly urged to be represented at this meeting so as to continue process of re-invigoration of Scor in the county,” said Hickey.
The county final of Scor will take place on December 11 in Askeaton. Ardagh is the venue for the west final on November 22 while the south final will take place in Banogue on November 27. The city final will take place on December 2 in Our Lady Queen of Peace School, Janesboro while the east final will be in Cappamore on December 5.

Jerome O’Connell

Scully dismisses ‘pub league’ description of First Division

LIMERICK FC manager Pat Scully has dismissed Shaun Williams’ assertion that the League of Ireland First Division was a “pub league”.


On Friday the Sporting Fingal winger, on the eve of their promotion play-off against Bray Wanderers, said that it would be heartbreaking to miss out on promotion to the Premier Division and be condemned to another season in the First Division.
“Obviously it would be heartbreaking to get this far and to be pegged back for another year, it’d be terrible,” the 23-year-old winger told the Irish Independent.
“The First Division is like a pub league compared to the Premier Division. The standard of player and facilities is just 10 times better in the Premier -- the First Division is horrendous in comparison.”
“Every league has a two-tier system so you are always going to have a situation where one division is slightly weaker and made up of younger players who need to develop before they become Premier Division players. You can’t dispute that,” Pat Scully said.
“But that was an arrogant comment to make. All players have to start somewhere. It’s easy to look at a lower level and criticise it. I’ve no problems with the First Division at all. There’s plenty of good clubs and good players in it.”
Pat Scully was also surprised that a Sporting Fingal player would make such a comment about the division - after all Sporting did not win the First Division and required a play-off win over Bray Wanderers (4-2 on aggregate) to book their place in next season’s Premier Division.
“The funny thing is that Sporting Fingal had the biggest budget this year in the First Division and because of that they should have won the division,” Pat Scully said.
“Instead they had to get through a play-off with Bray Wanderers to be promoted. So it’s a bit hypocritical for a player from that team to criticise the division after they failed to win it in the first place.
“Shaun is entitled to his opinion, afterall football is all about opinions, but, for me, the First Division has a lot of plusses, a lot of good players and a lot of good facilities.
“From our own point of view we have some things to improve on and work on. And, we’re working hard to move the club forward.”
Supporters will be heartened to learn that Limerick FC have already signed 11 players for the 2010 season and that they have made approaches to sign up to six more players to strengthen the squad.
Super Blues fans will be most concerned about the future of striker Stephen O’Flynn who scored 14 goals since he joined Limerick FC in July. It is widely understood that several rival clubs have their eye on O’Flynn, but Pat Scully is hopeful that the talented centre-forward will sign for another season.
“Stephen has really enjoyed his time with Limerick and we know that other people are trying to sign him,” Scully added.
“We’ve met with Stephen and we have done everything we can to convince him to stay, so we hope that he will.”
Although the Limerick FC playing squad missed out on a proper pre-season campaign for the past two years Pat Scully will not allow that to happen this time round.
The squad have already received details a three-week programme which each individual player must carry out before pre-season starts on January 16 next while the club are also currently attempting to organise a series of pre-season friendlies.

Brian McDonnell

McNamara aims to take his place on pro tour

TALENTED young Limerick golfer Cian McNamara will hope to take a major step towards securing his card on the European Tour for next year when he competes in the second stage of qualifying in Jerez, Spain beginning on Friday.


Limerick Golf Club’s Cian McNamara will be hoping to make it through from a field of almost 80 players to the final stage of qualifying which takes place at the PGA Golf de Cataluyna in Spain from November 28 to December 3.
Twenty-three-year-old McNamara, the youngest ever South of Ireland champion at just 18 in 2004 turned professional in June of last year.
He successfully completed a four-year golf scholarship at East Tennessee State University before graduating with a Degree in Business Science specialising in Sports Management.
Since 1976 the European Tour Qualifying School has been held at the end of each season to establish which players, not otherwise exempt, will gain their playing privileges on the tour for the following season through a qualifying competition.
Former Junior Open champion Cian McNamara, from Ballyclough, successfully came through the first round of qualifying at Golf de Moliets in France earlier this year. McNamara hit a two-under 70 in his closing round for an eight-under 280 and shared 12th behind runaway winner Carlos Balmaseda of Spain
In order to make it through to the third and final stage of qualifying he will need to come through this week’s 72-hole event at the Arcos Gardens course. The qualifier starts on Friday and continues until Monday over the par 72 course which measures 7,383 yards.
The final stage takes place over 108 holes or six rounds at PGA Golf de Cataluyna from November 28 to December 3.
The leading 30 players, plus those tied for 30th place, will earn Category 11b Membership of The European Tour for 2010 which expires at the end of that season.
In winning the Shell Ireland sponsored South of Ireland title at Lahinch in 2004 Cian McNamara produced two stunning extra time comebacks.
The Limerick ace, then 18, beat big Greg Bowden of Hermitage at the 21st in the decider after seeing off Richard Kilpatrick at the 20th in the semi-finals.

Colm Kinsella

Earls in line for Irish team

MUNSTER rugby star Keith Earls is in line to add to his tally of Irish caps in the coming weeks with confirmation that Luke Fitzgerald is set to be sidelined for between four and six months due to a knee injury.


Twenty-two-year-old Keith Earls replaced the injured Fitzgerald during the second half of Ireland’s thrilling 20-20 draw with Australia at Croke Park on Sunday.
Following medical review and scans of his left knee it has been confirmed that Fitzgerald sustained a ruptured lateral collateral ligament which requires surgery and intensive post-operative rehabilitation.
The talented winger, who toured South Africa with the Lions in the summer, will miss Ireland’s remaining autumn Tests and the defence of their RBS 6 Nations title in the spring.
He was scheduled for surgery at the Sports Surgery Clinic this Tuesday with a projected recovery period of four to six months.
Former St. Nessan’s Community College and St. Munchin’s College star Earls is set to add to the two caps he won last season with Ireland due to play Fiji at the RDS this Saturday (5.15pm) and South Africa at Croke Park on Saturday week (2.30pm) in their final two autumn internationals.
The versatile Limerickman scored two tries for the Lions during this summer’s tour to South Africa and would relish the opportunity to pit his wits against the world champions in a Test match.
Keith Earls enjoyed a sensational international debut 12 months ago when he scored a try with virtually his first touch of the ball against Canada at Thomond Park.
Earls won his second cap a week later when introduced as a replacement against the All Blacks at Croke Park.
Earls, who has played on the wing, in the centre and at full-back was a member of Ireland’s Grand Slam-winning under-20 side in 2007.
He scored in each of Ireland’s A team matches at the 2007 Churchill Cup before making his full international debut last autumn.
Fourteen players have been added to the Ireland squad in the lead-up to the international clash with Fiji on Saturday. They include Munster players Tony Buckley, Denis Hurley, Felix Jones and Peter Stringer.
Meanwhile a number of Limerick-based players have been included in two Ireland under-19 squads which have been named to face Australian opposition in the coming weeks.
Two St. Munchin’s College players have been selected for the Ireland under-19 Schools squad to face their Australian counterparts at UCD on Friday, November 27 at 3pm.
Lukas Kunz, St. Munchin’s, is one of 10 backs selected for the squad while his school mate Tom Goggin is one of 13 forwards named in the squad for the game. The Ireland under-19 schools squad is coached by Terry McMaster and Bobby Byrne.
The Ireland under-19 squad, coached by Allen Clarke with Colin McEntee and Jonathan Bell, will play the Australian under-19s at Cork IT on December 2 (7pm).
Included among the 10 backs selected for that squad is Shannon’s Gareth Quinn-McDonagh.
On the club rugby front Garryowen are the only Limerick side to have made it through to this weekend’s quarter-finals of the AIB Cup. The ‘light blues’ face a tricky game against Blackrock at Stradbrook (2.30pm).
Garryowen advanced to the last eight of the competition with a convincing home victory over St. Mary’s College at Dooradoyle.
While Garryowen’s scheduled All-Ireland League game with Dolphin at Dooradoyle on Saturday last was postponed due to an unplayable pitch, Blackrock College suffered a home defeat to Shannon.

Colm Kinsella

Andy Lee’s thoughts turn to a potential clash with Macklin

IT will be a number of weeks before Andy Lee charts his next step forward in his pro-boxing career.
The 25-year-old middleweight is to enjoy a few weeks at home in Castleconnell before turning his attention to his future.


The former St. Francis Boxing Club Olympian brought his pro record to 20 wins from 21 bouts on Saturday night when securing a ten-round points win over reigning European Union and French champion Affif Belghecham at a packed UL Arena.
There was no title on the line on Saturday, but Lee now believes that he is getting closer to a title fight.
“That guy was rated in the European ratings so that should move me up the European ratings.
“The middleweight scene outside of Kelly Pavlik is European-based so now it is good to have a foothold in the ratings,” Lee told Leader Sport after Saturday’s fight.
Lee, his manager Emanuel Steward, coach Joey Gamache, promoter Brian Peters and advisor Damien McCann will all be involved in the discussions as to the next step for the Limerick man.
Steward wasn’t in Limerick for Lee’s third fight in his native city as he had television commitments in Las Vegas for Manny Pacquiao’s victory over Miguel Cotto.
Indeed the Detroit-based Hall of Fame coach didn’t have much input into Lee’s preparations for the fight as Lee has spent recent months in New York and was largely under the watchful eye of one of Steward able assistants Joey Gamache.
“The whole team needs to sit down and we’ll take it one fight at a time,” said Lee.
“I am in good shape - I could fight again next week!,” said a smiling Andy Lee after his latest win.
It could be February before Lee returns to the ring, but already thoughts are turning to next summer and a potential title fight against fellow Irish man Matthew Macklin who is the reigning European middleweight champion.
Macklin beat Finnish fighter Amin Asikainen at the Manchester Velodrome, England in September to collect the vacant belt and defends it on December 5 when Macklin meets Uruguayan Rafael Sosa Pintos at the National Boxing Stadium in Dublin and then in the New Year he has a European title defence against Dmitry Pirog before any thoughts could turn to a potential clash with Lee.
“July or August in Thomond Park would be fantastic, but if it happens, it happens,” said Andy Lee.
“It’s a natural fight,” said Lee of a potential fight against Macklin who was introduced to the crowd in the UL Arena on Saturday night.
“There is no bad blood between us - when we fight each other it is going to be a big fight. It would be nice to have a financial benefit from it, but even a European title fight would be big between us. I don’t think either of us would dodge each other,” said Lee.
“The middleweight division in Ireland is in great shape right now, but apart from Pavlik it is all about the Germans and I think we are right there.
“Matthew would fancy his chances now and John (Duddy) and with another few fights I would be ready too.”

JEROME O’CONNELL

Joy for Niland in Niceville

ALTHOUGH Limerick tennis star Conor Niland had suffered the heartache of losing two ITF Futures tour finals in recent weeks, the Irish number one broke his duck last night in Niceville, Florida with a stunning win.


Four weeks ago Niland lost the final of the F18 Futures event in France to Antony Dupuis (3-6, 6-4, 4-6) and then last week the 28-year-old lost the final of the USA F27 Futures event to Austria’s James Lemke (6-4, 4-6, 5-7) in Birmingham, Alabama.
Conor Niland however exacted revenge over his Austrian counterpart last evening when the Limerick man won in very impressive fashion.
Lemke won the first set 6-3, but Niland gritted his teeth and battled back to win the second 6-4. Then, in the deciding set, Niland was irresistable winning by a stunning six games to love.
Niland was installed as the number one seed for the clay court event.
In the first round he defeated the USA’s Matt Cloer 6-2, 6-3. He then saw off Junior Ore (USA) 6-3, 6-3 before beating Norway’s Erling Tveit 6-3, 6-1 at the quarter-final stage.
The USA’s Denis Kudla blocked Niland’s path in the semi-finals, but Conor made light work of the American winning 6-3, 6-2 to set up a final with James Lemke.
The win represents Conor Niland’s third win on the ITF Futures circuit - the Irish number one also won a Futures title in Limerick and Bournemouth.
Niland’s biggest achievement however occured when the Limerick man won the ITF Challenger Tour event in New Delphi last year.
Conor Niland, who played in the qualifying rounds for Wimbledon, the US Open and the Australian Open in the last two years will be hoping to now build on this encouraging victory.

BRIAN MCDONNELL

McCarthy presses on

DESPITE the uncertainty surrounding the Limerick senior hurling panel manager Justin McCarthy is preparing to forge ahead with his rebuilding programme this Friday night.
The second of three planned trial games takes place underlights in the GAA grounds of Staker Wallace, but no member of the 2009 county senior panel can take part due to the GAA’s ‘closed season’ - all inter-county panels are prohibited from collective training during the months of November and December.


Leader Sport understands that Limerick GAA officials will then take the opportunity to sit down with the hurling management to discuss recent events and plans for the future.
This Friday night’s trial game will involve players that were identified by the management team during the local championships and others who were nominated by their clubs.
Two weeks ago only 25 players togged out for the first trial game - 13 newcomers and 12 from the 2009 panel.
And it now appears that McCarthy, Brian Ryan and Liam Garvey will be left with one of the most inexperienced Limerick panels ever when the 2010 season commences with a Waterford Crystal Cup quarter-final clash against either Cork or UCC in mid-January.
Rumours are still widespread as to the future of some remaining panel members, but none have made official decisions.
Of the 16 players that remain on the inter-county panel, just five players (Brian Geary, Donal O’Grady, Brian Murray, Seamus Hickey & James O’Brien) could be considered experienced campaigners.
The remaining 11 players (Tom Condon, Paul Browne, David Breen, Denis Moloney, David Moloney, Graeme Mulcahy, Gavin O’Mahony, Bryan O’Sullivan, Paudie McNamara, Wayne McNamara & Stephen Walsh) have a total of just 34 senior hurling appearances between them.

Jerome O’Connell

Kidney sounds a note of caution

IRELAND rugby coach Declan Kidney has sounded a note of caution ahead of Sunday’s big Guinness Series clash with Australia at Croke Park, pointing out that the Grand Slam winners have only beaten the Wallabies twice in their 10 meetings during rugby’s professional era.
Kidney’s Ireland begin their three-match autumn international series with a fixture against an Australian side boosted by their victory over England at Twickenham on Saturday.
Sunday’s meeting at GAA headquarters has a 3pm kick-off.
Head coach Kidney is hoping Ireland build on their Grand Slam heroics of last March, but he stressed that the team was under no illusion about the size of the task facing them in the coming weeks with Test matches against Australia, followed by fixtures with Fiji and World champions, South Africa.


“Last year we played one Tri-Nations team and came a bad second to New Zealand. They (Tri-Nations teams) are the next target for us,” Declan Kidney pointed out.
“This year we have four games against Tri-Nations teams and we play Australia twice; they are the first game of our international season and the last game.
“We’re under no illusions as to the size of the task that we’re up against and we know the difficulties and the challenges that we are up against. Ireland have played Australia 10 times in the professional era and only won two of them.
“Ireland v Australia matches have always been good clashes and we are looking forward to it.’
“Our job is to put in the best performance we can against Australia. That is definitely the priority. Have we been working on plans towards the World Cup in 2011? We certainly have, towards fixtures and planning. That is what we have been doing.
“It is a time to park that now and get ready for this because you want to get you want to build momentum and you want to build confidence.
“Working towards the next World Cup, given that Australia are in our group, means that we should concentrate 100% on playing Australia.”
Ireland’s Australian-born backs coach, Alan Gaffney said there are clear signs that the Wallabies are developing into a top class team.
Former Munster coach Gaffney, who also spent time as back coach to the Wallabies said: “I think Australia are very close to being a very good side. I don’t think they are too far away at the present time.
“There are areas of their great, I am sure, they would like to improve on. But across the board now, I think they are a very good side.
“They have a good set-piece generally. Their scrum is very competitive now where there were years in the past when it hadn’t been. And they have a very good backline.
“They have the makings of a very good team.”
Meanwhile, Munster’s new South African prop Wian du Preez has been named on the Springboks’ replacements’ bench for their Test match with France in Toulouse this Friday night (7.45pm).
Du Preez, who is due to join up with Munster squad in time for the December 5 Magners League tie with the Ospreys, is the only uncapped player included in the Springboks’ 22 for the Test match with France at the Stade Municipal.
Munster confirmed this week that Cheetahs loosehead prop du Preez will join the Magners League champions on a short term contract once his commitments with the Springboks current tour of Europe is complete later this month.
With Marcus Horan and Dave Ryan ruled out through illness and injury respectively until after Christmas, and Darragh Hurley also on the injured list, Munster confirmed that the 27-year-old du Preez would be joining the squad until the end of January.
Du Preez was originally omitted from the Springboks squad for the current tour, which ends with a Test match against ireland at Croke Park on Saturday, November 28.
However, he was called up to Peter de Villiers squad over the weekend along with Cheetahs team-mate Adriaan Strauss.
Subject to obtaining clearance from his home Union, obtaining a work permit and passing the normal medical procedures, du Preez will join up with the squad in time for the Ospreys game which takes place the week before Munster resume their Heineken Cup campaign against Perpignan at Thomond Park on Friday, December 11.

Colm Kinsella