Setanta ruled in as Joyce pulls out

International Rules SeriesSetanta Ó hAilpín has been declared fit and will begin training with the Irish International Rules panel tonight. Along with Galway's Joe Bergin, he will meet up with the squad at Ballymun Kickhams all-weather surface in Dublin.

Bergin played in last year's two-Test series in Australia and his height and mobility will be an obvious bonus, while Ó hAilpín has been given the all clear by team doctor Dr Con Murphy.

The 2003 All Star hurler is reported to have recovered sufficiently from the stress fracture of the foot that disrupted his first year with Australian Rules side Carlton.

"Con has met with him and reported that he is in good shape so I'm taking it that he is fit. We're looking forward to him joining us," said Irish manager Pete McGrath.

The two inclusions are a timely boost after McGrath had to deal with the loss of captain Pádraic Joyce, Tyrone's Ryan McMenamin and Fermanagh's Barry Owens this week.

Joyce has been ruled out of next month's Test series after suffering the recurrence of an old groin injury at an Irish squad session last Friday. He is to undergo surgery and is expected to be out of action for 12 weeks.

Owens also pulled out with a groin complaint. The full back was withdrawn at half-time in the All-Ireland semi-final replay against Mayo and has been advised to rest.

McMenamin has decided to focus on the Tyrone county championship as his club Dromore have progressed to the semi-final, where they face Clan Na Gael this Sunday.

McGrath was understandably disappointed to lose the players, especially a leader of Joyce's calibre.

"It's a massive blow but it would be far worse in four weeks' time, on the eve of the first Test," he admitted. "At least now we can re-adjust and reconfigure.

"We now have to just get on with the job. Pádraic is an inspirational player and the number of young and first-time players in the squad increased his importance. They would look up to a player like him."

Regarding the captaincy issue, McGrath refused to put a time frame on when a replacement for Joyce will be announced but it is hoped to be within the next week.

No vice-captain has been named but there are several immediate candidates for the post. Last year's captain Graham Canty and current inter-county captains SeáMarty Lockhart (Derry) and Ciaran McManus (Offaly) would all fit the requirements.

The loss of an experienced player like Joyce also reopens the door for those previously omitted from the initial squad of 42. Séamus Moynihan, depending on fitness, Kieran McGeeney and Peter Canavan were all left out of the original panel.

McGrath has always stated that it is an open-ended panel and he will not reduce the squad to the final 30 until the weekend of October 10th-11th, one week before the first Test.