Coulter likely to miss the first Test

INTERNATIONAL RULES:IF THE 2010 All Star football selection is reflective of any one thing then it's probably the further dilution of the provincial title.

It was an exceptional year in that all four provincial winners – Kerry, Tyrone, Roscommon and Meath – were beaten in the All-Ireland quarter-finals, and yet Roscommon and Meath failed to get any player on the team, while Kerry and Tyrone got just one each.

Maybe the back-door route has become the primary road to success after all.

The GAA president, Christy Cooney, who also acts of chairman of the All Star selection committee, isn’t so sure: “Not necessarily so,” said Cooney. “But I think it will certainly create some debate, in other people’s views, as to whether this is the best team or not. But that’s always the debate around an All Star selection.

“People have their own specific views, but in fairness to the journalists on the selection committee, they see games throughout the year, nearly all the games, and are well versed for making the judgment call on who it is they consider the best people for the positions.”

This year’s wide-ranging selection, with eight of the 12 counties nominated all represented (Down, Cork, Kildare, Louth, Sligo, Tyrone, Dublin and Kerry) also appears to suggest that a county’s overall performance is just as important as the individual performance when it comes to making the All Star team.

Again, Cooney wasn’t so sure.

“It is, if they perform well enough during the season. And I think that’s the basis for why they were selected. It’s not a question of what county you come from or whether you win the All-Ireland or the National League. It’s a question of whether you were considered by the panel to have performed outstandingly well throughout the season, and were deserving of an All Star award, irrespective of where you are from.

“I think Paddy Keenan of Louth being selected shows that in a very strong way. And that’s wonderful to see. Paddy Keenan did have an outstanding season and is well deserving of his All Star.”

Benny Coulter is among the All Star winners who will now turn his attention to the International Rules series with Australia, although a hamstring injury is likely to rule him out of the first Test on Saturday week, October 23rd, at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. The Down captain suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury playing for his club Mayobridge in the Down football semi-final, where they lost out to Burren, last Saturday night. Coulter however is still expected to be included in manager Anthony Tohill’s Ireland squad, which will be named in Croke Park this afternoon, along with the Ireland captaincy.

Coulter has been receiving treatment on his injury in Dublin, and remains confident of playing some part in the second Test, to be played in Croke Park on October 30th: “The tests showed it was a grade one tear in the hamstring, so it’s a three-week turnaround,” he said. “It had been tight for a few weeks there, and then I suppose I shouldn’t have played at the weekend. The first Rules game is probably going to be a few days too early for me, but the second game is a very strong possibility. I haven’t missed a Test since it started back up again, and I’ve always really enjoyed it.”

The GAA confirmed yesterday all seats in the Mackey Stand have been sold for the first Test in Limerick.

A special combination package for the Limerick and Croke Park Tests now includes a seat in the North Stand at the Gaelic Grounds and one in the Lower Cusack Stand for the second Test; this two-Test package costs €35 and is available from www.gaa.ie/tickets. Other offers include group passes available to schools and GAA Clubs at €3 for 16s or under with one adult free for every 10 juveniles (www.gaa.ie/tickets).

The Australian team, meanwhile, are scheduled to arrive in Ireland on Sunday.