Finalists answer the call

International Rules Series: Ireland coach Pete McGrath has described as "very positive" the response from the Kerry and Mayo players called into the International Rules preliminary panel. At this stage it appears as many as eight of the 10 players will be in contention for a place on the 27-man panel, which will be finalised this weekend.

Five players from each county had been called up by McGrath and his three selectors: Kerry's Tomás Ó Sé, Eoin Brosnan, Declan O'Sullivan, Colm Cooper and Michael McCarthy, and Mayo's Ciarán McDonald, David Heaney, James Nallen, Trevor Mortimer and Ronan McGarrity.

Only two of those have indicated their unlikely participation. McCarthy appears to have opted out because of work conflicts and McGarrity because of his basketball commitments.

"I know it was asking a lot for these players to show up at training five days after winning or losing an All-Ireland final," said McGrath yesterday. "It's going to be difficult for them no matter what the circumstances. But I have to say the response from these players has been very positive, and we're more than pleased with that."

Four of the Mayo players attended the training session this past weekend - McDonald, Heaney, Nallen and Mortimer. Ó Sé, Brosnan and O'Sullivan also showed up from Kerry, although O'Sullivan is carrying the remnants of a shoulder injury that has now cast some doubt over his participation. Cooper, meanwhile, has indicated he should be available for this weekend's final trial.

"We are facing some difficult decisions now," added McGrath, whose final panel goes into action against Australia on Sunday week, October 17th, and again a week later. "There's no doubt we are going to have to leave out some very good players, but making those decision is what management is all about."

McGrath has again endured a setback with confirmation that Tyrone's lively defender Philip Jordan has been forced to withdraw because of injury.

That news was partly compensated by the announcement from team captain Padraic Joyce that he was ready to resume training. The Galway forward was initially ruled out with a groin injury, but having returned to club action last Sunday is firmly back on course to lead his country.

"That's been a massive boost," admitted McGrath. "All along I had been cautiously optimistic that he might make it, but last weekend's show for his club was the determining factor, and I know the players will be delighted to have him back as well."

McGrath will formally announce his panel at lunchtime next Monday. In the meantime, he's been trying to get as much information as possible on the Australians, who are due to arrive early next week.

"To be honest, we've been concentrating on trying to get our end of things right first of all, and dealing with our own requirements. But John Tobin (one of the Irish selectors) has been keeping us up to date on the Australians. From what we've been told they seem to be concentrating more on mobility, and wouldn't be as physical as in recent years. But with so many changes on their panel it's hard to know."

The Irish management team will get their first close-up look at the Australians when they play a Dublin selection next Wednesday, the traditional warm-up for the touring party.

In hurling news, meanwhile, the Cork County Board will next Tuesday set up a seven-man committee to appoint a successor to Donal O'Grady, who on Monday stepped down after two years in charge. According to county chairman Jim Forbes, there was real hope the position could be filled within the next month.

The early favourite to succeed O'Grady is current selector Seánie O'Leary, followed by Seán O'Brien, who led the Cork intermediate hurlers to All-Ireland glory, and another Cork selector, John Allen.