Offaly champions Rhode have given up on the prospects of getting back two of their players for Sunday's AIB Leinster club final against St Vincent's.
Speaking on Monday, veteran forward Niall McNamee was asked whether forward colleague Anton Sullivan and corner back Jake Kavanagh might be released from Army duty in Lebanon.
“It’s not looking good, no. In fairness, the lads have been working hard to get them back, but no. Reports came back there at the weekend that it’s not going to happen.”
The long-serving Offaly forward said that the fact that Roscommon champions St Brigid's had to field without Ian Kilbride in the recent Connacht final against Corofin had been a factor.
“I think the fact that Ian Kilbride was away – he’s in the Lebanon as well – and he wasn’t back for last weekend, I think that’s after counting against them. Which is a disaster – well it’s not a disaster; look, we knew they were going away, we’ve been planning all along that they weren’t going to be back. That was in our plan, so it is what it is. We just move on from it.
Tough on the boys
“To be honest it’s tough on the boys. I can only imagine what it’s going to be like for them during the game on Sunday, trying to listen in online or do whatever. It’s going to be tough, but we knew a good few weeks ago that they were gone. Other lads have stepped up in training, got their chance and that’s it.”
He said that the loss was particularly acute given Sullivan’s form so far in the campaign, which has brought Rhode to a fifth provincial final in 11 seasons as the search goes on for a first title.
“Yeah, and especially this time of year when the ground gets a bit heavier, he seems to get faster which is unusual. But he’s been playing really well, from semi-final, county final on he’s been playing great stuff.
“They were devastated going. There was that bit of hope that they were going to be back, but I think it was Saturday or Sunday that word came through to say, ‘no they won’t be coming.’
Planning away
“We’ve been planning away without them, and if they were there obviously it was going to be a bonus, but reports are they’re not here.”
McNamee added that although confirmation that Sullivan and Kavanagh wouldn’t be back had come as a disappointment, the news had not been unexpected.
“I think before the semi-final when they were leaving, we knew they wouldn’t be back for the semi-final. I think the fact they’ve only recently gone – they probably weren’t going to let them back that early. Before the semi-final no, absolutely not, but with a hope they might be able to get them for the final.
“But that’s come up short. It’s disappointing, but we’ve expected it. In terms of our own camp there’s been no negativity around it because we expected them not to be here. We just plough on, boys step in and away we go.”
