McCrabbe may be fit to face Kilkenny

GAELIC GAMES NEWS ROUND-UP:DUBLIN HURLERS had further grounds for optimism last night when after reaching a first provincial final in 18 years initial indications were that top scorer Alan McCrabbe may be available for the decider against Kilkenny on July 5th.

McCrabbe, who had to leave Sunday’s Leinster hurling semi-final win over Wexford after 60 minutes because of a knee injury, was scanned yesterday.

“The scan wasn’t conclusive,” said team manager Anthony Daly last night, “but they think it might not be as serious as first feared so hopefully it’s good news.”

McCrabbe, who returned to the county panel this season, has had an excellent couple of months, including picking up the Gaelic Players Association Hurler of the Month award for April in recognition of an excellent league campaign during which he scored 1-50. Coincidentally he also missed the Kilkenny fixture in the National League.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, former All-Ireland winning Cork manager Donal O’Grady, who chaired the adjudication panel, said prophetically of the player: “Operating between the half-forward line and midfield, McCrabbe has become very central to Dublin’s performances and has a big summer ahead of him.”

To date in the championship until injury forced him off after an hour on Sunday, the Craobh Chiaráin player had scored 1-19 in two matches against Antrim and Wexford.

“It’s been a worry all right,” said Daly. “He’s one of our mainstays and he’s been in great form.”

Of the other key players on the sideline, centre back Ronan Fallon won’t feature in the county’s first provincial final since 1991.

“We’re hoping he might be able to do a bit of light training next week,” said Daly. “The pin has gone in. Unfortunately the metatarsal just didn’t heal in plaster and it was just three or four sessions before it went and there was no option but to put a pin in it. He’ll definitely be out for the final.

“Hopefully we might get Liam Ryan and Ross O’Carroll back into play. Ross is recovering from having his appendix out and Liam tore a calf muscle in training.”

There was better news in Tipperary before the county’s Munster hurling final against Waterford on July 12th. All Star centre back Conor O’Mahony, who had to be replaced at half-time, will be fit for the final. Having sustained a painful blow to the groin, O’Mahony was unable to move for a period but had recovered by Sunday evening.

Meanwhile, the GAA yesterday released dates and venues for next month’s opening qualifier rounds in both the football and hurling championships. The big match in the round is in football with the meeting of last year’s Ulster champions Armagh and Monaghan, who have had a series of daunting draws in the qualifiers in recent years and have done very well in spite of that, twice pushing Kerry hard before being eliminated.

Séamus McEnaney’s team will have home advantage in Clones. The match starts at 7pm and will be televised live by RTÉ 2.

Louth have home advantage in Drogheda against Tipperary. When the sides last met it was in Clonmel with the Leinster side winning 0-13 to 1-8, a fixture of some interest because it was the first qualifier in the season the system was introduced eight years ago.

Antrim’s first season in the Leinster championship ended in defeat by Dublin at Croke Park and the Ulster team, who contest their own provincial final this weekend, must travel south again for their meeting with Laois, which is to be staged in Portlaoise.

Elsewhere injuries which forced Tyrone pair Stephen O’Neill and Joe McMahon out of Sunday’s Ulster football semi-final against Derry are not serious, it emerged yesterday.

McMahon was taken to hospital in Belfast following the Casement Park win after damaging ribs in a second-half collision. But doctors confirmed he had suffered no fractures, merely severe bruising. O’Neill dislocated a thumb moments earlier, but both players are expected to be fit for the Ulster final against either Cavan or Antrim on July 19th.

Munster Council chairman Jimmy O’Gorman has admitted the attendance for last Sunday’s Munster hurling semi-final between Clare and Tipperary fell below expectations. Provincial officials had predicted a 25,000 crowd but just 20,872 spectators attended, with Clare apathy pinpointed as the main reason for the lower than expected turnout. O’Gorman said: “I think Clare didn’t really come out and support the team but now they know that they should have.”

He is anticipating a Munster final attendance of at least 45,000 on July 12th. A special series of events are planned around the Thurles weekend as part of the GAA’s 125 celebrations. The highlight is a torch relay spanning Clare, Limerick and Tipperary which will begin at Michael Cusack’s home in Carron, Clare, and end in Thurles on July 11th.

HURLING FIXTURES: Saturday July 11th:

Christy Ring Cup final:Down v Carlow, Croke Park, 4pm.

Nicky Rackard Cup final:Meath/Armagh v London/Fingal, Croke Park, 2pm.

Lory Meagher Cup final:Longford/Tyrone v South Down/Donegal, Croke Park, 12pm.