Larkin against Galway's inclusion

HURLING: WITH SATURDAY'S GAA special congress coming into view the main talking point remains Galway's proposed entry into the Leinster hurling championship.

With Galway club delegates giving the idea a hesitant thumbs up on Monday night (by 66 votes to 54), it was expected Kilkenny's Eoin Larkin - GPA hurler of the month for September - would follow suit and welcome the initiative but it turns out the groundswell of support for the idea is not as positive as initially suspected.

Already, Dublin, Offaly, Wexford and Westmeath have rejected the move and Larkin noted it as a hindrance to the development of the game in Leinster. "I dunno," said the James Stephens forward. "I suppose the GAA congress will decide it but personally I'd like to see Leinster staying Leinster. That's no disrespect to Galway. I'd like to see Leinster teams competing in the Leinster championship and meeting (Galway) in an All-Ireland quarter-final.

"I don't see how Galway coming into Leinster is going to bring on the weaker counties. Maybe if they had an open draw you would have good games. Maybe the weaker counties would get more games against the bigger teams.

"Maybe there would be a better Leinster championship if the qualifiers were gone, if there was no backdoor. You got one chance and they're going to throw everything at you."

Yesterday GAA president Nickey Brennan was again asked about the issue of Galway entering the Leinster championship - a move not unprecedented as the Tribesmen have entered the Munster championship before.

"There were 11 speakers at the (Galway) meeting, nine of whom spoke against it and two that spoke for it," he said. "You will always find that those who are against something tend to be the ones that generally do most of the talking. I think it was a decision. Hopefully we can get it through on Saturday. I am not resting on my laurels, I've still more work to do between now and Saturday to make sure we get it over the line."

The powerbrokers in Croke Park will continue over the coming days to push for the structural changes that bring Galway and Antrim under the Leinster umbrella for a three-year trial period. "Who knows," added Brennan, "maybe the other counties who opposed it, in the light of everything over the past few days, they might reflect and have a different view come Saturday."

Meanwhile, Galway hurling captain David Collins has issued an appeal to counties to back their entry to Leinster.

"The Galway players made their feelings known on the matter and it is great that delegates in Galway have backed the players . . . It is now vital other counties get behind the proposal and vote accordingly on Saturday," he said.