Injury hit Kildare drop McDonald and Hynan for disciplinary reasons

INJURIES and indiscipline have contrived to cast a shadow over Kildare's preparations for the National Football League semi final encounter with Cork at Croke Park on Sunday.

Two vacancies were left in the team selected last night in the hope that Brian Fahy and Paul McCormack will overcome injuries with continued treatment. But it is the non-selection of Dale Hynan, an impressive addition to the side at midfield in the latter stages of the campaign, and forward Johnny McDonald for "disciplinary reasons" which could have longer term repercussions.

Given the amount of injury concerns in the camp, manager Mick O'Dwyer has made a brave decision to omit Hynan and McDonald. Indeed, such (disciplinary action places a question mark over the pair's participation in the National League final should Kildare be successful in Sunday's match and would also leave their involvement in the championship (the Lilywhites are scheduled to meet Laois in the provincial quarter final) somewhat up in the air.

The decision, however, has been made and what is likely to cause more immediate concern to the Kildare selectors in the run up to Sunday's match is the well being of Fahy and McCormack. Fahy sustained an ankle injury in training last week, while McCormack has been struggling since the league quarter final win over Offaly.

If both prove their fitness, Fahy will line out in the half forward line with McCormack at corner forward. Ronan Quinn is on stand by to make his senior debut should either player fail to prove his fitness.

Otherwise, there are two changes in the side that overcame Offaly. John Whelan, a member of the Sarsfields club, comes in to replace Hynan at midfield, while Paddy Graven, who came on as a substitute against Offaly, comes into the side at right half forward, effectively taking McDonald's place in attack.

With all the chopping and changing, Kildare's selectors were provided with some silver lining when Glen Ryan, Declan Kerrigan and Martin Lynch all proved their fitness. Ryan has had a niggling knee injury for the past fortnight, Kerrigan has been struggling with a back strain and Lynch has been dogged by a hamstring injury. But all three provided some solace to the beleaguered selectors by overcoming their ailments.

Meanwhile, the Laois selectors are keeping any tricks they may have planned for Sunday's other semi final with Kerry up their sleeves. When the team to take on the Kingdom at Croke Park was announced last night, Hugh Emerson was again named to wear the number 11 jersey.

Whether or not Emerson actually takes up a position on the forty or moves to full forward, as in his devastating performance in the quarter final against Derry (when he scored three goals), remains to be seen. But the guessing game is likely to take place right up to Sunday's throw in.

The Laois selectors, in fact, gave a confident thumbs up to the 15 players who started against Derry and have named an unchanged side.