GAA Digest

Croke Park sets ambitious environmental goals: THE GAA yesterday announced a major environmental initiative - Cul Green - aimed at making Croke Park a carbon-free stadium.

The Cul Green plan sets ambitious environmental targets for Croke Park, dramatically reducing the carbon footprint at GAA headquarters during the next six years. The new project, in the immediate term, will cut Croke Park's annual 4,500-tonne carbon emissions output by more than two-thirds.

It will establish a state of the art environmental-improvement programme covering the stadium's electricity, waste and water management systems.

Croke Park will immediately contract its electricity supply from a renewable source and an energy efficiency audit will be conducted by ESB to establish how the stadium can become carbon zero.

NFL pro to give hurling a go

A HIGH-PROFILE American footballer is set to take part in a hurling match this evening.

Dhani Jones of the Cincinnati Bengals - who has received coaching from DJ Carey - will line out in a challenge fixture for Lucan Sarsfields at their ground (7pm) against Celbridge.

The participation of Jones, a linebacker with the Ohio outfit who reached two Super Bowls in the 1990s, will be screened by US TV station Travel Network.

Ryan takes over at Mount Sion

FORMER KILKENNY hurler Liam Fennelly has split with Waterford club side Mount Sion after just two championship matches in charge.

The three-time All-Ireland medallist presided over a disastrous start to Mount Sion's Waterford SHC campaign as the former county and Munster champions slumped to heavy defeats against Abbeyside and Lismore.

Kevin Ryan - who has said he will also continue as manager of Wexford's Oulart-the-Ballagh - has agreed to take charge of Mount Sion for the remainder of the season.

Reale to lead Limerick in clash with Tipperary

DAMIEN Reale will captain last year's beaten All-Ireland hurling finalists, Limerick, when they renew rivalry with last month's NHL champions Tipperary in (Dundrum, 7pm) tomorrow evening.

Limerick manager Richie Bennis continues to experiment in a bid to find his best side for the championship and will be without several key players this time out, including Stephen Lucey and Andrew O'Shaughnessy. But Kevin O'Rourke is given his chance at corner back with Séamus Hickey moving to left half back as Mark Foley is on the bench.

Eoin Ryan, the very talented Kilmallock teenager, will be at left corner forward.

LIMERICK: D Bulfin; D Reale, M O'Riordan, K O'Rourke; P Lawler, P O'Dwyer, S Hickey; J Ryan, K Tobin; K Ryan, S O'Connor, O Moran; M Fitzgerald, N Moran, E Ryan.

Daly to miss historic match

TYRONE WILL be without the injured Brian Daly for tomorrow's Ulster senior hurling championship clash with Fermanagh (Lisnaskea, 3.45pm). Midfielder Paul Hughes is also rated as extremely doubtful due to injury.

Their historic tie at Lisnaskea launches the 2008 series, which sees all nine Ulster counties participate for the first time.

The prize for the winner in tomorrow's game in Fermanagh is a meeting with London.

Talented Fermanagh attacker John Duffy may play no part due to injury, while Dermot Curran has a groin strain and captain Fergus Bannon, who gets married next week, is unavailable.

The other Ulster SHC game scheduled for tomorrow is the meeting of Cavan and Monaghan (Kingspan Breffni Park, 3.45pm).

Sherlock expected to be ready

BRIAN TALTY has no worries about the availability of Jason Sherlock for Dublin's Leinster SFC opener against Louth in June at Croke Park.

Sherlock was forced to retire with a hamstring problem during Dublin's Division Two final defeat by Westmeath last month.

And the St Oliver Plunkett's man missed out on his club's championship win over St Anne's last Wednesday night.

"I don't think Jason's injury was that serious," Dublin team selector Talty said. "It was just that if he had stayed on any longer on the pitch, he would have run the risk of aggravating it.

Corner back Stephen O'Shaughnessy will also be in contention for the Leinster championship match. O'Shaughnessy had been sidelined with a hamstring complaint, but he underlined his match fitness by lining out for Lucan Sarsfields in their championship win over Fingallians on Wednesday night.