Sport

Illness rules Barden out as Walsh steps in

GAELIC GAMES: Paul Barden has been ruled out of Sunday's International Rules first Test in Croke Park

By Sean Moran
Fri Oct 11 2002 - 01:00

GAELIC GAMES: Paul Barden has been ruled out of Sunday's International Rules first Test in Croke Park. The talented young Longford player was taken ill yesterday and ran a high temperature, leading to doctor's advice not to consider playing this weekend.

He will be replaced by Nicholas Walsh, the former Cavan minor now on the books of the Melbourne Demons, who has impressed Ireland manager John O'Keeffe in training.

This is a big setback for Barden who was to play in the series for the first time. "Paul took sick and his temperature went up to 105 degrees," according to O'Keeffe. "There's no way he's going to start but we will keep a place for him next weekend should he recover in time."

Walsh has the added advantage of having captained the Ireland under-17 team that played Australia in 2000. He successfully trialled for his club in Melbourne and is on the verge of an AFL breakthrough. When announcing his panel earlier this week, O'Keeffe remarked: "You can see from his physical development how it's brought him on. He'll make it in time."

READ MORE

The Ireland team gathered last night in the Citywest hotel in Dublin. So far, Barden is the only withdrawal from the panel, although concerns remain about the other AFL player, Tadhg Kennelly of Kerry and the Sydney Swans. He injured himself playing for his club Listowel last weekend.

"He's recovering well," said O'Keeffe. "Eamonn Ó Muircheartaigh has been working with him but he may still need a fitness test on Saturday. He damaged his ankle ligament near the shin bone. We won't be risking him if there's any doubt because we would be very anxious that he recover for the second Test."

Today the Ireland panel will have a run-out in Croke Parkand it will then be up to O'Keeffe to finalise his match panel of 23.

A smash-and-grab goal in injury time from Galway's Richie Murray gave University Limerick a winning 4-7 to 1-15 start to their Higher Education Hurling League programme, against Waterford IT, at Limerick, yesterday.

Murray turned out to be the star of the show with a hat-trick of goals.

Scorers: UL - R Murray 3-2, D Green 0-4, J Ryan 1-0, B Carroll 0-1; Waterford IT - R Jacob 1-2, M Jacob, D Murray 0-4 each, S Hennessy, B Dowling 0-2 each, C Phelan 0-1.