New move in Cork stand-off

THERE IS fresh expectation that the striking Cork hurlers will meet the county executive before the end of the week in the latest effort to resolve to stand-off with manager Gerald McCarthy.

Typically, neither side are making any commitments although the personal request last week by new county chairman Jerry O’Sullivan has been considered by the players, and a formal response is expected within days. O’Sullivan called for the meeting between both sides, along with the mediator Olann Kelleher, the Cork solicitor, with the assumption that McCarthy would also be present.

“Over the last two weeks the players, management and the county board have engaged in a series of meetings over many hours with the mediator, without substantial progress being made,” he said. “I respectfully suggest these meetings cannot go on forever and there must be a realisation that efforts to resolve the situation must be finalised soon. Please avail of the goodwill and expertise of the independent chairman as he tries to facilitate a resolution.”

Back on the playing field, Galway begin their experimental entry into Leinster hurling this Sunday with the Walsh Cup clash against Offaly at Tullamore. Fittingly, perhaps, new manager John McIntyre will be forced to field an experimental team as several players remain absent.

The Dublin County Board have indicated Diarmuid Connolly will remain part of the senior football squad, despite being sent home from the team’s training camp in La Manga last week for an alleged breach of discipline.

The Dublin hurlers begin their season under Anthony Daly on Sunday with the Walsh Cup game against Kilkenny at Parnell Park. Daly has announced a preliminary panel that sees the return of Damien Russell and Shane Martin, although three players named – Ronan Fallon, David Curtin and Gary Maguire – are in Australia and will not be returning until the end of this month.

DUBLIN PRELIMINARY HURLING PANEL: A Nolan (St Brigid’s), F McGarry (Ballyboden St Enda’s), K Elliot (Craobh Chiaráin), D O’Reilly (Craobh Chiaráin), G O’Meara (O’Toole’s), P Brennan (O’Toole’s), K Ryan (O’Toole’s), L Rushe (St Pat’s, Palmerstown), C Billings (St Vincent’s), R O’Carroll (Kilmacud Crokes), J McCaffrey (Lucan Sarsfields), S Hiney (Ballyboden St Enda’s), T Sweeney (Ballyboden St Enda’s), T Brady (Na Fianna), M Carton (O’Toole’s), O Gough (Cuala), N Corcoran (Kilmacud Crokes), A McCrabbe (Craobh Chiaráin), S Durkin (Ballyboden St Enda’s), S Martin (Crumlin), J Boland (Na Fianna), T Somers (Lucan Sarsfields), L Ryan (O’Toole’s), J Kelly (St Mark’s), R Trainor (St Vincent’s), R O’Carroll (Kilmacud Crokes), D Treacy (Cuala), S Lambert (Ballyboden St Enda’s), P Carton (O’Toole’s), K O’Reilly (Lucan Sarsfields), S Mullen (St Oliver Plunketts/ER), P Kelly (Lucan Sarsfields), D O’Dwyer (Naomh Olaf), D Russell (St Vincent’s), D O’Callaghan (St Mark’s), R Fallon (St Vincent’s), D Curtin (Ballyboden St Enda’s), G Maguire (Ballyboden St Enda’s).