Joe Rabbitte is back in training with Galway and may even be included in the county's squad for Sunday's National Hurling League final against Limerick in Ennis. Rabbitte suffered a horrifying skull fracture in the Connacht final against Roscommon last July and there were fears that he might never play again. He was confined to hospital for a period and was suffering severe head pains for a time, but his condition then began to improve rapidly and, with typical determination, he resumed training and has now been given the all-clear to play. He played for his club, Athenry, against Carnmore last weekend and completed the match without any problem.
Galway full back Brian Feeney was sent off in that match and will not be available for the match in Ennis. It is understood that the Galway selectors met last night but will not make a final decision about their line-out until later in the week. Limerick will also not name their selection until later in the week. They have already lost the services of Mike Houlihan, who has a leg injury and has not trained with the squad for six weeks. Gary Kirby is also on the treatment list after receiving a knock in training last Sunday. To add to Limerick's problems, the Moran brothers, Ollie and James, have fallen foul of a 'flu bug and are unlikely to be in top shape for Sunday.
Looking at the wider picture, it is truly sad that at the end of what has been one of the best National Hurling League campaigns for many years apathy seems to have taken over. There are many reasons why this is the case, notably the recent excitement surrounding the hurling and football championship finals which have diverted attention away from the League. The fact that key matches in the championship come between the semi-finals and finals of the League has certainly diminished the League. The powers that be in Croke Park will surely take a close look at the set-up for next season. Several memorable matches took place in the early part of the competition and crowds of more than 20,000 were recorded on numerous occasions.
Once the championship started, however, interest in the League dropped off and the new arrangement, which allowed the beaten finalists in Munster and Leinster through to the quarter-finals of the championship tended to distract attention in these counties away from their League commitments. Next Sunday's final, coming as it does only a week after the All-Ireland football final, has not caught the attention of the public to the degree it usually would. There are fears that it will attract only a very small attendance.
Meanwhile, although it is less than a week since he announced his retirement from inter-county football, Charlie Redmond will be back in action at this level this weekend. He lines out with the Rest of Ireland team against All-Ireland champions, Kerry, in Tralee on Saturday in the now traditional GOAL Challenge.
Redmond will captain the team from the left corner forward position in a team which includes four of the beaten Mayo side. Players from nine different counties have been selected for The Rest. The match at Austin Stack Park has a throw-in time of 3.0.
Rest Of Ireland (SF v Kerry): P Burke (Mayo); K Mortimer (Mayo), P Holmes (Mayo), D O'Reilly (Cavan); A Rainbow (Kildare), J Nallen (Mayo), P Curran (Dublin); B Stynes (Dublin), S King (Cavan); M Daly (Clare), E O'Hara (Sligo), T Giles (Meath); C Corkery (Cork), R Malone (Offaly), C Redmond (Dublin) capt.
