Rory O’Carroll a doubt for Leinster football quarter-final

Rory O’Carroll is a doubt for Dublin’s Leinster SFC quarter-final on May 31st against the winners of Saturday’s Offaly versus Longford match in Tullamore.

“I tore my hamstring against Cork,” said O’Carroll. “Been out for twoweeks so another week or so to go.

“Long term I want to get my hamstrings right rather than rushing back. It’s a bit frustrating as I injured my left one against Monaghan and my right one against Cork.”

Meanwhile, Dubliner hurler Paul Ryan has criticised the new penalty format introduced at Congress.

“I probably think it could have been solved if they’d just got rid of the goalie hurl and just keep three on the line,” said Ryan.

“What I’m saying is the person actually taking the free shouldn’t beallowed use a goalie hurl. Just take the goalie hurl out of the free,and you wouldn’t be connecting with it as cleanly.”

“I don’t know what they’re thinking,” Ryan added of the delegates who voted on the new rule.

Ryan believes the one on one approach, allied by a bigger sweet spot on the hurley, will lead to more goals.

“It’s after going from one extreme to the other and now there’s only one in the goal. So, yeah, you could say it’s easier – but nothing’seasy in front of a few thousand.

“You’d have to put a certain amount of power in it – and pick a spot. But you’re under the threat now that the ‘keeper is just going to move. Rather than relying on reaction, he’s going to pick a spot, and you’re going to pick a spot, and that’s going to be a guessing game. And that’s the way it’s going to go.”