Pat Gilroy is first out of the traps with his team announcement for Sunday’s NFL clash with our lads in McHale Park. The Dubs have five changes from the team that beat Derry at Parnell Park in their last outing, with Stephen Cluxton, Philly MacMahon, Ger Brennan, David Henry and Paul Flynn all coming in instead of Michael Savage, Rory O’Carroll, James Brogan, Tiernan Diamond and Blaine Kelly. Dublin’s line-up is as follows:
Dublin (NFL Division 1 v Mayo): Stephen Cluxton (Parnells); Paul Conlon (St Vincents), Michael Fitzsimons (Cuala), Philly MacMahon (Ballymun Kickhams); Paul Griffin (Kilmacud Crokes), Cian O’Sullivan (Kilmacud Crokes), Ger Brennan (St Vincents); Eamon Fennell (O’Tooles), Ross McConnell (St Oliver Plunketts/Eoghan Ruadh); Alan Hubbard (Ballymun Kickhams), Paul Flynn (Fingallians), Kevin Bonner (St Brigids); David Henry (Raheny), Michael Darragh MacAuley (Ballyboden St Endas), Kevin McManamon (St Judes). Subs: Shane Supple (St Brigids), Conor McCormack (St Mary’s, Saggart), Neil O’Connor (Naomh Barróg), Hugh Gill (St Vincents), Kevin Nolan (Kilmacud Crokes), Paul Casey (Lucan Sarsfields), James Brogan (St Oliver Plunketts/Eoghan Ruadh), Denis Carrigan (St Mary’s, Saggart), Darren Magee (Kilmacud Crokes), Colm Murphy (St Judes), Tiernan Diamond (St Vincents), Bernard Brogan (St Oliver Plunketts/Eoghan Ruadh), Dean Kelly (Trinity Gaels), Brendan McManamon (St Judes), Paddy Andrews (St Brigids).
That’s a chunky old subs’ bench, both in number and in heft. In terms of the former, it’s a full fifteen so maybe Pat is looking to bend the rules and pull the same stunt that he did at that challenge match against us in Portmarnock last May where he fielded entirely different teams for the two halves. While the appearance on the bench of ex-Ipswich ‘keeper Shane Supple is grabbing the headlines, there are two Brogans hidden in there too, as well as a couple of the Vins’ lads and Paddy Andrews. Apparently established players such as Barry Cahill, Conal Keaney, Bryan Cullen, Denis Bastick and Mossy Quinn are all, for one reason or another, unavailable for selection while Rory O’Carroll is on U21 duty. Never mind, the lot of them wouldn’t have fitted on the bus anyway.
I understand we’ll be naming our starting fifteen later on this evening. There’s still no word about how Mark Ronaldson’s appeal went last night but I guess we’ll know when we see the teamsheet. I see that our old pal Pat McEnaney (who’ll have to retire at the end of this season under the new age limits being put in place for refs) wants the disciplinary process speeded up and tightened up and, while we’ll all go to our graves disagreeing with his decision to send off Liam McHale in the 1996 replay, I think it’s obvious that what Pat has to say on this issue makes a fair bit of sense. They could also, while they’re at it, do with putting in place some kind of communications policy in this area because, as things stand, trying discover what’s going on with suspensions is akin to attempting to unearth the Third Secret of Fatima.
According to M W Lunchtime News the 4 wek ban on Markeen has been upheld
Thanks Albany – it’s now on MWR’s website too. Just doing a quick update on it.
Unfortunatly McEneaney can go on until 2012. If we make it back to an All-Ireland final, expect to see him. I blanched when I read of the new kids on the block he endorsed, Joe McQillan along with Coldrick and Reilly from Meath. No mention of the Duffy boys from the West?. The Indo also stated that the Mayo county board were the only county to make a substantial profit in Connacht. Seemingly they cleared 467,000 Euro. That should take the pressure of the clubs who have to fund the beauty treatment Castlebar has recieved? Or were the clubs levied at all?
I hadn’t read the small print, ontheroad – McEnaney has until end-2011 by the looks of it. Two years for him to right that old wrong, eh? I had similar shudders when I saw that list of refs he endorsed. You can add Padraig Hughes to that list – we had him for the Dublin game last year and he sure was an odd one.
I dunno what the story is with the County Board’s finances but to make a profit of €467k in 2009 has to be good going!
to make any profit in 2009 was some going , the county board lads should be putting their CV’s forward to the financial institutions!
Well us Dublin yahoo,s always look forward to headin off to Mayo for this fixture and this year is no differ. Interesting comments there from the boy’s about de teams and what not. I was looking forward to seeing yerman Ronaldo takin de field for yer gang but it seems that is in the lap ev de gods. Hopefully he will get to play. Up here most of us feel that this the crunch tie of the series, as it will probably show us just where we really are this year. We are down for the two nights and are lookin forward to a few jars, a chat and the craic. And with a rub ev the relic we might get a result. In anyways Up The Bleedin Dubs !!!