Maher gives Ryan dilemma

GAELIC GAMES:WHILE THERE are some mixed reports coming out of the Kilkenny camp – Colin Fennelly may be definitely out, Michael Rice may be definitely in – Tipperary manager Declan Ryan has declared a clean bill of health ahead of the All-Ireland hurling final on Sunday week.

In fact Ryan has at least one selection dilemma, with midfielder Brendan Maher now back to “100 per cent fitness” after the broken ankle he sustained earlier in the year, and which so far has limited him to a substitute role for the reigning All-Ireland champions.

Maher was introduced at half-time in the semi-final win over Dublin to good effect, and the question for Ryan now is whether or not to start him on Sunday week, and indeed who to exclude.

“Brendan Maher has done everything asked of him to get back to where he is,” says Ryan, “and right now he’s back at 100 per cent fitness, ready to go. Training has gone well since the Dublin game, and although you can never be entirely happy with training, we’re very happy. And from an injury point of view at the moment anyway it looks good, touch wood.”

Maher, who started last year’s final at midfield and delivered a performance that helped him win Young Hurler of the Year, replaced Patrick “Bonner” Maher in the Dublin game, but it won’t be an easy decision for Ryan to alter his current midfield partnership of Shane McGrath and Gearoid Ryan.

Meanwhile, the nostalgia fest ahead of Sunday’s All-Ireland football semi-final between Dublin and Donegal continued yesterday when Brian McEniff was inducted into the MBNA Kick Fada Hall of Fame at a special presentation ceremony in Croke Park.

McEniff has enjoyed an outstanding career both as a player and manager for over 40 years: an All Star in 1972, he featured in the first Donegal team to win an Ulster Championship that year, but it was his move into management that allowed him to famously leading Donegal to their first All-Ireland title in 1992. He was joined yesterday by former Hall of Fame recipients Billy Morgan (2010), Frank McGuigan (2009), Jimmy Keaveney (2006), Donie O’Sullivan (2004), Paddy Doherty (2008), and Peter Nolan (2003).

Kieran McGeeney has been added to Anthony Tohill’s Ireland management team ahead of the International Rules series in Australia in October. The Kildare manager captained Ireland in the 2006 series, and joins Kevin O’Brien, Seán Óg de Paor and Eoin Liston in the Irish backroom team.

McGeeney will continue as Kildare manager for a fifth year in 2012, and will also sit on the GAA’s newly formed Standing Rules Committee, who will have the power to bring motions relating to playing rules before Central Council at the end of each year; previously, rule changes could only be submitted to Congress every five years.

Also on the committee will be Kilkenny hurling manager Brian Cody, plus GPA representatives Donal Óg Cusack and chief executive Dessie Farrell, with the GAA’s Director of Games Pat Daly acting as secretary.