Kilkenny in angry mood

KILKENNY halve decided to take an emphatic stand against the National Hurling League proposals which come before tomorrow's meeting of the Central Council of the GAA at the Na Fianna club premises in Dublin.

Kilkenny's Central Council delegate, Tom Ryall admits to having been "sickened by what went on at Congress last month when the hurling championship reforms were passed.

Frank Murphy, the Hurling Workshops secretary, is accused of being allowed to make a highly professional presentation while delegates were hampered in the way they were allowed ask questions.

Paul Kinsella of St Martin's claimed that he had been brow beaten at the meeting and sought assurances that nothing like that would,, ever be allowed to happen again.

If tomorrow's proposals (to run the League later in the year and in tandem with the championship) are introduced, it is claimed that Kilkenny could end up having no games for clubs and a county team only.

The football board secretary Pat Mulrooney even urged Kilkenny not to play in the League if the changes go through. Such action would soon bring Croke Park officials to heel, he said. Other counties should be contacted, it was suggested, with a view to advocating opposition to the proposals.

Meanwhile, Johnny Nevin, Carlow's centre back for Sunday's Leinster senior hurling championship replay against Westmeath, belongs to an elite GAA club along with fellow Carlow man Joe Hayden. Membership is confined to holders of All Ireland B championship medals in both hurling and football, and they are in a minority of two.

Nevin (28) plays on the 40 in football and hopes to do well against Wicklow, but this week his thoughts are focused sharply on Sunday's hurling replay in Dr Cullen Parke

He considers this match to be very important for the promotion of the game in Carlow. If they, beat Westmeath and, later, Meath they will be on the way to a high profile quarter final against Leinster champions Offaly in Croke Park on June 2nd.

"The team is very young, I think I am the oldest on it. We have five under 21 players, and to get to Croke Park to play Offaly wouldn't do the younger players any harm," says Nevin.

He says Sunday's replay will be "twice as hard as the drawn one in Castletowngeoghegan," and adds "we must come out with the attitude that it's there for the taking in our back garden. If we want it we are going to have to work for it".

The Carlow selectors make three changes to the team from the drawn match. Making his debut in the senior championship is under 21 player Sean Spruhan. The strong Naomh Eoin player hopes to stay in the winning grove following his success against Kildare last weekend in the under 21 special final. He takes over from Killian Griffiths. Vinnie English is replaced at right wing back by Richard Dreelan of St Mullin's.

Dessie Murphy has been on holidays since the drawn game and is not expected back until the weekend. John Byrne, despite a back strain, fills in at full forward.