News Round-Up: Dublin are resigned to playing their next two home games of the National Football League in Parnell Park following confirmation that no more fixtures would be moved to Croke Park until after the All-Ireland club finals on March 17th.
As of yesterday the county board was still hopeful that Dublin's next home game on Sunday week against Tyrone could be played in Croke Park - and possibly the game against Cork on March 9th - under a similar promotion to last Sunday's game with Armagh.
Though 54,432 attended that game, GAA officials are concerned that the new Croke Park pitch is still in relative infancy and have been advised against its over-use at this time of year. With Parnell Park's capacity of just under 10,000 it means both the Tyrone and Cork games are now likely to be all-ticket.
Parnell Park is the venue for this Sunday's Walsh Cup hurling final between Dublin and Kilkenny, although some confusion remains over the exact make-up of the Dublin hurling management.
It is known that Nicky Kehoe last night met manager Marty Morris in an effort to resolve the apparent mix-up surrounding his role as a Dublin selector. Kehoe was asked to take the position shortly after Morris was appointed manager last December, but earlier this week it was discovered he could not be part of the management team as ratified by the county board.
Only Morris, two selectors Mick O'Riordan and Tommy Ryan, and team trainer Sean Beakey were ratified at Monday night's meeting, but Kehoe withdrew his name on the understanding his position was a matter for Morris to decide upon.
Dublin chairman John Bailey has since confirmed that only two selectors could be ratified under the current terms of Morris' appointment, and that any request for a further selector would have to go back to the county board for approval.
Kehoe, however, was yesterday adamant that he'd been given different information. "My name was withdrawn because it was my clear understanding that the manager could nominate the third selector if he wanted," he said.
In team news, meanwhile, all four provincial club football champions have now withdrawn their players from league action until after the All-Ireland semi-finals on February 23rd. It means that Mayo will be without Crossmolina's James Nallen, Michael Moyles, Paul McGuinness, Kieran McDonald and Liam Moffatt for the game against Down on Sunday, which has been moved to Newcastle from the original venue at Newry.
Cork, who were already without their Nemo Rangers players, have made three changes for the meeting with Armagh in Crossmaglen. Alan O'Connor takes over at full back from Niall Geary, Padraig Kissane comes in for Derek Kavanagh and Conrad Murphy replaces Alan Cronin at right corner forward.
Tyrone, who remain without their Errigal Chiarain players, could again be with midfielder Cormac McAnallen because of a knee injury, although his partner Kevin Hughes is more likely to be passed fit for the visit of Galway.
Kildare have made several alterations for the meeting with Sligo at Markievicz Park, with Brian Lacey returning to right corner back, Eamonn Callaghan switching to right half back in place of Padraig Mullarkey, and Aidan McHugh coming into midfield. Karl Ennis, Ronan Sweeney and Terry Rossiter have all been given starting places in the forwards.
KILDARE (SF v Sligo): E Murphy; B Lacey, D Hendy, A McLoughlin; E Callaghan, G Ryan, A Rainbow; A McHugh, D Earley; K Ennis, J Doyle, R Sweeney; T Fennin, T Rossiter, D McCormack.
CORK (SF v Armagh): K O'Dwyer; N O'Donovan, A O'Connor, A Lynch; E Sexton, G Canty, N O'Leary; N Murphy, B Collins; BG O'Sullivan, M Ó Croinín, P Kissane; C Murphy, F Murray, C Crowley.
TIPPERARY (SF v Waterford: P Ryan; S Maher, N Kelly, D Byrne; N Fitzgerald, D Fanning, P Halley; A Fitzgerald, F O' Callaghan; K Mulryan, P Cahill, B Hickey; T Doyle, E Hanrahan, D Browne.
