Galgey added to Irish squad

TRALEE'S Ger Galgey, one of the key figures in the Kerry club's league title success, has been added to the panel of Irish based players who will gather for national squad training at the Tolka Rovers complex in Griffith Avenue, Dublin, this weekend.

Galgey's omission from an original panel of 29 home and foreign based players, named a fortnight ago, was inexplicable as he had been among the most consistent performers all season in the Budweiser Super League alongside his fellow, new, Irish squad member, John Teehan.

With two months to go before Ireland's campaign in the European championship preliminary round group in Iceland, fewer than half of, the Irish based players in training this weekend can expect to be on the flight to Reykjavik.

One man not available for the training session due to Gaelic games commitments is Liam McHale. He is, nevertheless, an other strong contender for selection.

In domestic matters, on Saturday last the IBA's national executive yet again overturned a national competitions committee (NCC) disciplinary decision. This time the one game suspension placed on Tralee's Ricardo Leonard was effectively revoked to allow him to play in the Top Four in Cork last week.

The executive disguised the degree to which they reversed the NCC ruling by stating that they were reducing the penalty points Leonard incurred for a serious verbal outburst to referee Denise Rice, from 20-18 points.

The whole reason for the NCC's decision to penalise Leonard 20 points was to suspend him for one game. To reduce the amount by two points meant that Leonard avoided the ban and now must commit another serious offence, next season to suffer any suspension. It is not even clear if Leonard intends to return to play in Ireland in the new campaign.

As it turned out, Tralee lost to Star of the Sea in the Top Four semi final last Saturday and the Belfast dub went on to, win the title to gain some consolation for their season of disappointment in league and cup.