O'Brien still hopeful for Dublin and Kerry stars

THE IRISH International Rules management will this weekend stage a final trial and training camp for players still looking to make the trip to Australia later next month, although a window will be left open for some late additions.

One of the problems in finalising the 23-man Irish panel is the conflict with the club football, particularly in Dublin and Kerry, as their championships are only now entering the thick of things after the All-Ireland final last Sunday week – although there is hope both counties will be represented in at least some way.

The training camp will run from Friday evening through to Sunday, at Carton House, Maynooth, under Ireland manager Anthony Tohill and his four-man backroom team, including Wicklow’s Kevin O’Brien – himself a former International Rules representative.

“We’d certainly hope to have a few more of the Dublin and Kerry players along this weekend,” says O’Brien. “The management are meeting ourselves this evening, because right now we still don’t know what players still caught up in their club championships will be available, but hopefully we will have a few more to come in.

“The first person in there last Saturday was Stephen Cluxton, so he’s on board, but then he has championship now this weekend, with Parnells.

“Kieran Donaghy has expressed an interest, but again it will depend on his club commitments. Darran O’Sullivan as well. So we’d certainly hope to have a few Kerry and Dublin players on the team, for sure.”

The Brogans, Bernard and Alan, and several other Dublin players have also expressed their interest, although it may ultimately become a straight choice between club and country due to the backlog of fixtures in the capital.

“Look, it’s far from ideal,” says O’Brien. “It is an inconvenience but then what can we do? Although it’s only a minority of players, really, still caught up in club championship, and for everyone else the commitment has been fantastic.

“The players we have on board, from Cork, for example, and other counties that are out of their championship, are totally focused on it.

“Again, we’ve been speaking with quite a few of the Dublin and Kerry players, but we’re still waiting on confirmation.”

Even if the likes of Donaghy and the Brogans don’t make it to this weekend’s final trial the Irish management are still happy to keep the window of opportunity open: “There’s always a possibility to look at guys next week,” says O’Brien.

“Unfortunately, the Dublin football championship is ongoing at the moment, and that has a lot of players tied up, so we just have to be patient with those players, and see what happens. Teams could get knocked out at any stage and that will free up players.

“But we’re looking forward to having a good training camp now this weekend, and then draw up a preliminary panel sometime next week, or the week after. We can only bring 23 players, so I expect we will have to put a few players on standby as well. It’s all going to happen very quickly from here on.”

The first Test is set for Friday, October 28th, in Melbourne, with the second Test a week later, November 4th, which will be played at the Gold Coast venue for the first time.

The 2011 Irish captain is still undecided too: “Again that will all happen fairly quick, because we’re due to fly out the 22nd of October.

“Still I think the panel is coming together quite nicely. We’ve been monitoring a lot of players all summer, and Mike McGurn has them on various training programmes, and we’ve been bringing them in for testing nearly every fortnight. It’s stepped up again the last three Saturdays, and the application of the players has been fantastic.

“I think having Kieran McGeeney on board added an extra dimension, because he’s a massive help, and we’re delighted to have him. He’s shown he has the management skills now as well.”

Among the players definitely ruled out are Mayo’s Andy Moran and Tyrone’s Seán Cavanagh, both due to injury, while Down forward Benny Coulter this week admitted that an ongoing hamstring problem is now likely to rule him out.

However several players have impressed at recent trials, including Donegal trio Michael Murphy, Neil McGee and Karl Lacey, plus Cork’s Eoin Cadogan and Aidan Walsh, and Armagh’s Steven McDonnell, who now look certain to make the 23-man panel.

There is also the possibility of Kerry’s AFL-based players Tadhg Kennelly, who announced his retirement recently from the Sydney Swans, and Tommy Walsh being called in.