Wexford forced to leave two vacancies

FOR quite different reasons. the Wexford selectors have been forced to leave two vacancies - at full-back and right-corner forward - in the team to meet Dublin in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship semi-final at Croke Park on Sunday.

Ger Cush, the versatile defender will fill the number three jersey ii he recovers from an ankle injury he sustained in training recently, but a decision on whether attacker Tom Dempsey plays or not will be left entirely to the player. Dempsey's brother-in-law died tragically earlier this week.

The experienced forward was introduced as a substitute in Wexford's first round win over Kilkenny and had been pencilled in for the corner-forward position in place of Paul Codd, who is ruled out because of a double-fracture in his knee sustained in a challenge game with Waterford.

There is growing optimism, however, that Cush will be able to take his place in the Wexford defence. The Gorey man was able to participate in light training on Tuesday night and, with further treatment, is expected to be fit enough to take his place in the team. Apart from the ubiquitous AN Other at fullback and right-corner forward, the other 13 positions will be filled by those who performed so well against Kilkenny.

Dublin are unlikely to fill the vacancy at centre-half forward until shortly before the game. The position was left vacant to allow the selectors further deliberation, with a number of players in contention to lead the attack.

Tony Mansfield, meanwhile, has severed his connections with Waterford hurling after a partnership stretching back over 35 years. Mansfield's tenure as manager of the Waterford senior team officially finished with their loss to Tipperary in the Munster quarter-final earlier this month, but he stated afterwards he would be willing to continue.

However, it now transpires that Mansfield, who led the Waterford Under 21 team to All-Ireland success in 1992, has written to the County Board to inform them that he will have no further involvement with any teams. The decision to take such drastic action was prompted by comments made by county chairman Paddy Joe Ryan on local radio which suggested it was time for change in the senior team's management structure.

The Munster Senior Hurling Final between Tipperary and Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds on July 7th will be televised live by RTE, despite a direct clash with the final round of the Murphy's Irish Open golf championship.

Both Leinster Senior Finals - the hurling final on July 14th and the football decider on July 28th - will also be televised live, pending official agreement by the GAA's Management Committee, while next Sunday's Connacht Senior Football Championship semi-final between Roscommon and Mayo is also on the "live" list.

A decision in respect of screening the Munster and/or Connacht football finals, scheduled for July 21st, will be taken shortly.

Over 3,500 juveniles from around the country will compete in the National Feile na nGael hurling competition for under 14 players which takes place at venues in Waterford this weekend.