Clancy takes break from Laois

GAELIC GAMES NEWS:PÁDRAIG CLANCY has announced his temporary retirement from intercounty football. The 29-year-old Laois midfielder will focus on playing with intermediate club Timahoe over the coming months, citing a lack of motivation to be a part of Seán Dempsey's panel in 2010.

“At the minute I’m not retiring permanently, but I just don’t have the hunger for it at the moment,” said Clancy. “I’ve been playing with Laois for the last 10 years – since I was 19 – and I hardly missed anything through all the years.

“I played in nearly every O’Byrne Cup match and every league match and right now, I have a complete lack of interest. I might come back at some stage down the road, but for the time being I won’t be playing.

“I always put in a massive effort with Laois and the last couple of years were harder to take when we weren’t going as well. But having said that I nearly always got enjoyment out of playing with Laois. I didn’t enjoy it last year and my form definitely suffered.

“I’m looking forward to be able to give more time to Timahoe, because I’ve never actually started a campaign with them, due to the fact I’ve nearly always been with the county at this time of the year.”

Meanwhile, former All Star Ger Farragher is a doubtful starter for Galway’s opening game in the National Hurling League against Limerick in Kilmallock on Sunday.

The Castlegar clubman picked up a groin strain in the Walsh Cup win over Dublin on Sunday.

He has been selected to start in midfield by team manager John McIntyre who says they will need to assess the situation closer to the weekend.

Galway have made just one change to the side which captured the county’s first silverware in six years with the Walsh Cup win last weekend as James Skehill takes over between the posts from Colm Callanan as the McIntyre and his selectors continue to rotate the goalkeeping position.

Dublin hurling manager Anthony Daly has made seven changes from the team that lost the Walsh Cup final ahead of the opening National Hurling League Division One encounter with Waterford at Walsh Park this Sunday.

The notable inclusions see Tomás Brady and Oisín Gough back in the fullback line, while forwards Liam Rushe and David Treacy also return. David O’Callaghan and former Dublin footballer Shane Ryan are held in reserve.

GALWAY(NHL v Limerick): J Skehill; D Joyce, S Kavanagh, P Holland; D Barry, T Og Regan, K Hynes; G Farragher, N Cahalan; A Callanan, C Donnellan, D Burke; A Harte, J Gantley, N Hayes.

DUBLIN(NHL v Waterford): G Maguire; N Corcoran, T Brady, Ó Gough; S Hiney (capt), R Fallon, M O Brien; J McCaffrey, J Boland; P Kelly, L Rushe, S Durkin; D Treacy, K Flynn, A Mc Crabbe.