Kelleher builds strong platform

Dublin hurling manager Humphrey Kelleher has announced his first panel of the new season, and is hinting at a fitter, stronger and notably different Dublin team during his second term in charge. That term begins on Sunday when his senior team play the Dublin Blue Stars at Páirc Barrog in Kilbarrack.

While there is a strong spread of new faces, Kelleher has also welcomed back Philly Brennan, Thomas McGrane and Stephen McDonald, who weren't part of the panel for most of last year. Kelleher has also outlined why this season's preparations are well ahead of last year, particularly with the background work being done by Will Heffernan and Jim Kilty.

"So far we've primarily been working in the gym," said Kelleher. "Although we have played two matches, against Antrim, and then against DIT last Sunday. So we have tried out a few players, and we're quite excited about the potential of some of them.

"Three of those will start on Sunday. One of them is Cathal Billings, the son of Dublin football selector Dave Billings, and also midfielder Greg Bennett, son of the former Kilkenny hurler Jim Bennett. We've also called up Eoin Moran from Clondalkin. So I think there will definitely be a few new faces representing Dublin this year."

Kelleher added: "I definitely think the players available this time round are of a higher standard. But they'll also been a lot fitter and stronger than they were going into last season, and that's because of two main people we're working with, Will Heffernan and Jim Kilty.

"The optimism is there too. We had 32 players out on Tuesday on a very cold and miserable night. We've four others training elsewhere. So the numbers are definitely good, and hopefully we can benefit from that."

As previously announced, Kelleher intends on using former Tipperary hurler John Leahy to fine-tune his panel. "John will be involved at some level as the season progresses, basically to look at the skills aspect of things, and give some extra knowledge on our approach to that . . . there are other people I've asked to come in for a day or two who have all been at the highest level."

In the meantime his only other concern is working out some sort of agreement on the dual-player issue with new Dublin football manager Paul Caffrey. He'll start that process at the Blue Stars games on Sunday, although there are only three players that might opt for both codes - Shane Ryan, Conal Keaney and David Henry.

DUBLIN (SH v Blue Stars): W Burke (St Brigid's); P Brennan (O'Toole's), M Breathnach (Thomas Davis), S O'Shea (Kevins); C Billings (St Vincent's), T Summers (Lucan Sarsfields), M Carton (O'Toole's); G Bennett (Raheny), C Meehan (St Vincent's); S McCann (St Mark's), S Mullin (St Oliver Plunkett's/Eoghan Ruadh), E Moran (Round Towers Clondalkin), T McGrane (St Vincent's), S Hiney (Ballyboden St Enda's), F Chambers (Ballinteer). Subs: S McDonnell (Craobh Chiaráin), K Elliott (Craobh Chiaráin), G Maguire (Ballyboden St Enda's), C O'Brien (Ballinteer), T Russell (St Vincent's), P Bergin (St Oliver Plunkett's/Eoghan Ruadh), D Reilly (Craobh Chiaráin), A McCrabbe (Craobh Chiaráin), R Brennan (St Vincent's), S Loughlin (St Vincent's).

DUBLIN BLUE STARS: M White (UCD); G O'Meara (O'Toole's), S Perkins (Ballyboden St Enda's), M Fitzgerald (UCD); C Everard (UCD), R Fallon (St Vincent's), S Daly (Ballyboden St Enda's); B Barry (UCD), D Sweeney (Ballyboden St Enda's); C Keaney (Ballyboden St Enda's), J Kingston (Craobh Chiarain), D O'Reilly (Craobh Chiarain); E Carroll (Ballyboden St Enda's), B Murphy (UCD), B Motherway (Kilmacud Crokes). Subs: J Morris (Commercials), T Feehan (St Vincent's), J McGuirk (Craobh Chiarain), D Brennan (Lucan Sarsfields), F Armstrong (Kilmacud Crokes), M Griffin (Ballyboden St Enda's).