Dublin wait for injuries to clear up

Dublin manager Paul Caffrey has deferred naming his team to play Limerick in Saturday's second round of the Allianz National Football League. Injury concerns over midfielders Darren Magee and Declan O'Mahony coupled with the involvement of several panel members in this week's Sigerson Cup prompted Caffrey's decision - and it's also clear he won't be risking anyone following the narrow round-one defeat to Tyrone.

Both Magee and O'Mahony retired early in the second half against Tyrone in Croke Park last Saturday night, Magee reportedly suffering from a hip injury and O'Mahony a back complaint. Neither injury appeared to be particularly bad at the time, although they will be given until tomorrow to prove their fitness.

In the meantime Ciarán Whelan remains a short-term concern with a rib injury. He has returned to full training but still won't be considered for selection for Saturday's game, which leaves Bryan Cullen and Shane Ryan, who replaced Magee and O'Mahony the last day, as the players likely to move in if necessary.

Otherwise Caffrey has a clean bill of health but with several players involved in the first round of Sigerson matches today and tomorrow - including defenders Ger Brennan and Paul Casey and forward Bernard Brogan - it was decided to defer any final team selection until after training tomorrow night.

Also deferred for another day was Dublin's ongoing debate on the participation of third-level college teams in the county championships, which has repeatedly raised its head in recent years. Monday night's county board meeting included the latest motion to exclude such college teams, submitted by the St Vincent's club, but after a debate that lasted well over two hours and didn't conclude until close to midnight it was decided that no vote would be taken.

It was agreed instead that the county executive would seek the opinion of Central Council on the matter, and particularly if they have the right to exclude such third-level teams in the first place. The next Central Council meeting is scheduled for February 17th.

Monday's meeting proved that this remains a contentious issue, with many club delegates expressing their dissatisfaction at not being allowed the opportunity to take a vote. The issue is also expected to come before GAA Congress in April.

On another matter of deferment, the Limerick-Fermanagh game postponed because of fog last Sunday has been refixed for February 18th in Clones - which means Saturday's game against Dublin will be Limerick's first outing in the league.

In hurling news, Galway manager Ger Loughnane has confirmed that defender David Collins will captain his team for 2007, a major honour for the 22-year-old and 2005 young hurler of the year. An equally interesting choice was that of Eugene Cloonan as vice-captain.

After a difficult few years drifting on and off the panel Cloonan is thriving under Loughane's new regime, with brother Diarmuid also recently recalled as part of the 30-man league panel. Loughnane gets his competitive term under way in earnest on Sunday week with the opening National League clash against Antrim.

Finally, club championship sponsors AIB are concluding their Community Challenge competition in conjunction with the upcoming semi-finals. Each club participating in the provincial championships was automatically entered, with prizes ranging in value from €1,000 to €5,000 towards club equipment, based on the level of support they get from their local communities and fan base.

The eight remaining clubs going into the semi-finals are all automatically entered into the final stage of the competition, with a prize fund of €5,000 towards club equipment up for grabs. The town/community will be judged on the visible support in their areas in the run-up to this weekend's game, with separate sections looking at the support shown by local businesses, schools, residential areas, the club itself - and general on-street support.

A "mystery caller" will visit each club before its semi-final, and a second time for clubs that progress to the final, as well as attend the relevant matches.