Long term in doubt as Barry opts out

Gaelic Games News: Kilkenny must play the remainder of the Allianz Hurling League without their most experienced defender, Peter Barry, who like DJ Carey has opted out of the panel for the coming weeks. Barry's decision not to play in the league has also cast doubts about his future with the county, just as with Carey.

His involvement with his club James Stephens in their run to the All-Ireland club semi-final earlier this month meant Barry had played no role with Kilkenny since last summer, though four of his clubmates - Eoin Larkin, Jackie Tyrrell, Donnacha Cody and Eoin McCormack - did return to Kilkenny training last night.

Manager Brian Cody is keeping an open mind about the panel during the league and has already agreed to give Carey the time to train on his own rather than commute from his home in Dublin.

Barry, however, has decided to take a complete break from hurling and has already informed his club he won't return until the end of April at the earliest.

"Peter Barry has decided to rest and won't be going near hurling for a while," explained Val Malone of the James Stephens club. "I know the other club players have returned to the county panel this week, but Peter is waiting until later in the year.

"Our next match in the Kilkenny championship, which is run as a league, will either be the last week in April or the first week in May, depending on how Kilkenny do in the national league. We expect to have Peter back by then but whether he goes back to Kilkenny or not is something he'll have to make his own mind up on."

Now aged 30, Barry has given more than a decade of service to Kilkenny, and cataloguing his success would require a dissertation. He has three All-Ireland senior titles and as many All Stars, three National Leagues, seven Leinster senior titles and an All-Ireland under-21 plus Fitzgibbon Cup, colleges and Railway Cup successes.

The crowning moment came just under a year ago when he captained James Stephens to the All-Ireland club hurling title.

In the meantime, Cody hasn't delayed in injecting young blood into his panel in his quest to defend the league title. John Dalton and Stephen Maher had impressive debuts at corner back in Sunday's first-round win over Laois, while John Tennyson is holding down the centre-back position long occupied by Barry.

Former All-Ireland-winning minor captains Richie Power and Michael Rice are also leading the attack, scoring 0-16 between them on Sunday.

Barry took over the Kilkenny captaincy last year, as is the right of the county champions, and James Stephens have now nominated the man they want to lead the county in 2006. Malone wasn't in a position to announce that nomination until it goes before the county board for approval, but it is expected to go to either Larkin or Tyrrell, who are more certain of a place in Kilkenny's championship line-up.

It will be tomorow evening before Cody announces his team to play Tipperary in Thurles on Sunday, but definitely missing again will be Henry Shefflin and fellow forward Martin Comerford. Both are carrying a groin injury and have declined surgery in favour of a period of rest, so it could be several weeks before they return. Noel Hickey also remains out through injury.

Tipperary manager Michael Babs Keating won't announce a starting line-up until after training this evening as five of his players - Conor O'Mahoney and Shane McGrath (LIT), Diarmaid Fitzgerald (UCD), Hugh Moloney (WIT) and Darragh Egan (NUIG) - were involved in yesterday's Fitzgibbon Cup quarter-finals.

Eoin Kelly is also again ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Elsewhere, Limerick manager Joe McKenna has announced two changes in his line-up for Sunday's visit to Galway from that which drew with Tipperary in round one. Mark Foley makes his first appearance of the season at left corner back.

Brian Begley, who ended his long lay-off through injury by appearing as a substitute last Sunday, is called into the full-forward line.

There are several positional switches as a result, Seán O'Connor and Neil Collins losing out as Mark O'Riordan moves to the half-back line and Denis Moloney goes to midfield.

In Division 1B, Down's meeting with Offaly has been brought forward to 1.30.

LIMERICK (SH v Galway): B Murray; D Reale, TJ Ryan, M Foley; O Moran, B Geary, M O'Riordan; D O'Grady, D Moloney; M O'Brien, P O'Grady, N Moran; A O'Shaughnessy, B Begley, M Keane.