NEWS:NEW GALWAY hurling manager Anthony Cunningham has dropped one-third of the team which started the All-Ireland quarter-final against Waterford this year.
Damien Joyce, who was named Galway captain earlier this year, has been dropped along with another former skipper Shane Kavanagh, half-backs Donal Barry and Adrian Cullinane, former All-Star Ger Farragher and attacker Joe Gantley.
Defender John Lee, who came on as a substitute in that 10-point loss to Waterford, is another big casualty as Cunningham and his selectors, Tom Helebert and Mattie Kenny, opt for youth in a bid to end Galway’s quest for All-Ireland glory.
Eighteen members of this year’s under-21 squad, which Cunningham and his selectors guided to All-Ireland glory, are included in the 37-man squad.
Cunningham stressed it did not mean the end of any player’s inter-county career and that players would go in and out of the squad over time. “Some of those players who are not included have given years of service to Galway hurling and we acknowledge that, but we think this is the best squad at the moment. It will change, some will come and go.
“We will be monitoring club and college games, as well as the Galway development squad, and the squad will be revised again for the National League,” said Cunningham, who has been appointed for three years.
GALWAY SQUAD 2012: J Skehill, D Collins, F Moore, T Óg Regan, K Hynes, A Smith, C Donnellan, E Ryan, D Hayes, J Canning, M Lydon, J Ryan, B Daly, C Cooney, D Burke, D Glennon, G O’Halloran, J Regan, J Grealish, J Coen, N Burke, R Cummins, B Regan, I Tannian, B Burke, C Burke, D Cooney, D Fox, F Flannery, N Donoghue, P Gordon, T Haran, A Harte, P Huban, M Horan, B Flaherty.
TYRONE legend Peter Canavan is expected to be ratified as the Fermanagh manager tonight after all the other candidates pulled out of the race.
Canavan was the only candidate interviewed by Fermanagh officials last week, following the withdrawal of the other four runners.
He is ready to step into the world of inter-county management for the first time, having completed a three-year stint with his home club Errigal Ciarán.
“I’d be jealous of the Fermanagh players who would be working under him. I have been exceptionally lucky to have played alongside him at club and county level and been managed by him,” said former Tyrone player Enda McGinley.
Elsewhere newly-appointed Wexford hurling manager Liam Dunne has announced his new backroom team. St Martin’s clubman Tomás Codd, a substitute on the 1996 All-Ireland winning team, along with Enniscorthy Rapparees/Starlights clubman Murty Dempsey join Dunne.
