Tyrone goalkeeper Finbarr McConnell is the surprise omission from the Irish International Rules squad announced by manager Colm O'Rourke at Croke Park yesterday. The party will travel to Australia in October.
McConnell, who was sent off for his involvement in the scatter which erupted in the third quarter of the first series last October, does not feature on the panel of 19 nor has he been included on the standby panel of 16. A further six from that reserve group will be chosen after a trial on Saturday. Kerry goalkeeper Declan O'Keefe and Derek Thompson from Roscommon are in contention to succeed the Tyrone man.
"We will be taking a specialist 'keeper. We did toy around with the idea of putting an outfield player in goals and we'll still look at that possibility but will bring a specialist goalie to cover against all eventualities," offered O'Rourke yesterday.,
Twelve of those players who featured in the series last autumn (which the Irish won on aggregate) are present again this year.
The new representatives are Ciaran Whelan (Dublin), Trevor Giles and Graham Geraghty (Meath), Ciaran McManus (Offaly), Joe Kavanagh (Cork), Dessie Dolan (Westmeath) and John Quane (Limerick).
Quane's selection comes at the twilight of a distinguished intercounty career. Interestingly, he played under current International Rules selector John O'Keeffe when Limerick reached the Munster final in 1990 and shone again the following summer when they crashed out at the provincial semi-final stage.
He becomes the second player from the county to represent Ireland at International Rules - Paddy Barrett was among the touring party in 1990.
"John Quane was one of the best examples you could have of a player willing to work tremendously hard at his game and fitness level," O'Rourke said.
"He impressed from the start and has gotten better with every session and I think it shows the integrity of the whole training process that a person like him can come in, a player most people will never have heard of but who now gets the ultimate honour." Others in strong contention of making the final panel of 25 include Cavan's Dermot McCabe, who was a revelation in last year's series.
"Dermot has had problems with a long-standing ankle injury but has worked hard to reach the required fitness levels. He's still in with a chance," O'Rourke explained.
The Armagh trio of Diarmuid Marsden, Oisin McConville and Kieran McGeeney are all expected to participate in the final trial on Saturday, and Cork's Podsie O'Mahony and Ciaran O'Sullivan are both strongly fancied to make the cut. Tipperary's Derry Foley and James Nallen of Mayo, both starters in the series last year, have to impress in that final trial to reclaim panel places.
The absence of Wicklow's Kevin O'Brien means that the sole link with the 1990 panel is now severed. Other notable absentees are Paul Brewster of Fermanagh, Donegal's Brendan Devenney and Colm McManamon from Mayo.
The management team invited over 70 players to training sessions over the summer and travelled extensively to study form during the championship season.
Every player selected on the final panel travels on the understanding that they pass a fitness test a week before departure.
Meath's John McDermott has once again been chosen as captain to the side, with Peter Canavan acting as vice-captain.
The two-Test series is to be broadcast live from Melbourne on October 8th and Melbourne on October 15th. Both are Friday evening games (local time). The Ireland party are due to arrive in Australia on Monday October 4th, and will go through a number of relaxed evening sessions to prepare them for playing under lights.
The team are sponsored by First Active, who unveiled a new team strip, designed with the rigours of the international game in mind. Last year's garment all but disintegrated during the more robust moments of the games.
Ireland: John McDermott (Meath), captain; Peter Canavan (Tyrone) vice-captain; Darren Fay, Graham Geraghty, Trevor Giles (Meath); Jarlath Fallon, Michael Donnellan, Sean Og de Paor (Galway); Ciaran Whelan, Brian Stynes (Dublin); Sean M Lockhart, Anthony Tohill (Derry); Finbarr Cullen, Ciaran McManus (Offaly), Glen Ryan (Kildare), Joe Kavanagh (Cork), Seamus Moynihan (Kerry), John Quane (Limerick), Dessie Dolan (Westmeath).
Standby Panel (Six to be selected): Diarmuid Marsden, Oisin McConville, Kieran McGeeney (Armagh), Podsie O'Mahony, Ciaran O'Sullivan (Cork), Niall Buckley, Dermot Earley (Kildare), James Horan, James Nallen (Mayo), Mark Crossan (Doengal), Derry Foley (Tipperary), James Grennan (Offaly), Dermot McCabe (Cavan), Declan O'Keefe (Kerry), Derek Thompson (Roscommon), Padraig Joyce (Galway).
