Whelahan gives Carey captaincy

News: Ciarán Carey has been handed the captaincy of the Limerick hurling team for the new season.

Manager Pad Joe Whelahan yesterday announced a 34-stong panel of players which he will take into the start of the National Hurling League later this month, and at the first formal training session last night then announced Carey's captaincy. Carey was thought to be heading towards the twilight of his career, so his nomination is a surprise but is no less deserved. His service to the county at senior level extends back to the 1989 Munster championship, and most recently he helped his club Patrickswell reach the Munster club hurling final in November, where they fell to Newtownshandrum.

"We decided we'd go with Ciarán," said Whelahan, "and see how he gets motoring."

It is also hoped Carey's renowned enthusiasm and passion for hurling will help rejuvenate the Limerick team, who ultimately endured a poor season last year, and which ended with previous manager Dave Keane departing after a single term in charge.

At 33, Carey is still regarded as one of the finest wing backs in the game, despite some questionable form last summer which saw him briefly drop off the panel having failed to gain selection for the championship clash with Kerry. He previously acted as Limerick captain in 1996, when they lost the All-Ireland final to Wexford, and also holds three All Star awards - from that year, 1992 and 1994.

Interestingly, both of Whelahan's selectors at Limerick, Declan Nash and Damien Quigley, played with Carey during the 1996 campaign.

In general, Whelahan's panel shows no great surprises. Timmy Houlihan, last year's number one goalkeeper and winner of three All-Ireland under-21 medals, is the most notable omission, although he hasn't featured with the county since Whelahan took charge. For now the goalkeeping duties go to Albert Shanahan, who regularly featured under Eamonn Cregan.

"This is the panel we're going to take into the league," said Whelahan, "but we'll look at it again in a couple of months, and if it's not doing the business then we will change things around."

Just eight newcomers are introduced in total, including the Sheehan brothers, John Paul and Pat, both praised by Whelahan as "big, capable forwards", and who hail from the county intermediate champions Tournafulla. Among the other fresh faces are Peter Russell, Donal O'Grady, John Cahill and Michael McKenna.

The Galway County Board, meanwhile, are still fretting over the immediate future of dual player Kevin Brady, who is facing allegations of playing illegally with a British club last November.

The British Board confirmed yesterday that an investigation is under way. If found to have breached the playing rules then Brady, who plays his club football with Kilcarly, could face a 48-week ban.

Tadhg Meehan, secretary of the British Board, said the investigation has been instigated, and would be concluded "shortly, probably within the next fortnight".

Last Sunday Brady was withdrawn from the starting line-up of the Galway football team which played Meath in round one of the league, and will also be forced to sit out Sunday's game against Armagh.

Details of the allegations have also been revealed, with Brady reportedly appearing as a substitute for Birmingham side Seán McDermott's during the British provincial final against London side Tara which was played last November.

Foremost to the investigation is the disclosure of any breach of the registration rules, but Brady is also said to have used a different name when handing his substitution slip to the match referee, only to be recognised nonetheless by certain players on the sideline.

The Galway County Board were advised by Croke Park on Friday not to use the player until the investigation was completed.

Brady is already regarded as one of the most exciting dual prospects in the county, having first excelled during the Galway's All-Ireland under-21 football success in 2002. Last year he was called into the senior football panel, and started in the All-Ireland quarter-final replay against Donegal.

LIMERICK HURLING PANEL 2004: M Foley, D Sheehan, O Moran, N Moran, S O'Connor, J Meskell, C Smith, S McDonogh, J O'Brien, P Lawlor, M Cahill, J Cahill, M McKenna, TJ Ryan, D Ryan, M O'Brien, D O'Grady, D Reale, A O'Shaughnessy, B Carroll, P Kirby, E Mulcahy, P Russell, B Geary, P Tobin, J Butler, W Walsh, Peter O'Reilly, Paul O'Reilly, P O'Grady, C Carey, A Shanahan, JP Sheehan, P Sheehan.