International Rules/Ireland training squad: Ireland coach Peter McGrath has identified three weaknesses he hopes to remedy for next month's International Rules tests in Dublin. The former All-Ireland winning Down manager was speaking at yesterday's announcement of his preliminary panel for the series, which Ireland haven't won for three years, and the appointment of Galway's Pádraic Joyce as captain.
Asked about the improvements he hoped to make in relation to specific performance, he outlined the areas he and his selectors - Cork's Larry Tompkins, John Tobin from Galway and Dublin's John O'Leary - had taken into account when assembling the training panel for the tests on October 17th and 24th.
"Looking at the matches, I would say that there was certainly a shortfall in terms of good kicking, kicking for scores. I think quite often there was a shortfall in terms of people being able to give passes that players could take comfortably in the air and make a mark. I also think there was a deficiency in relation to the tackle, both in relation to making it and taking it.
"As well as that, goalkeeping is also very important. The goalkeeper is a key player in this game.
"Then there are the physical demands of the game. It requires people with fitness and good upper body strength and these were the characteristics we were looking for in the player we finally selected."
There are few surprises on the panel. Included are the two Irish AFL players, Tadhg Kennelly, an experienced international player who missed last year's series because of injury, and former Cork hurler Setanta Ó hAilpín, who has made great strides in his first year in Australia and is apparently free from the injury that cut short his season with Carlton.
"Larry spoke to him within the last 12 hours," said McGrath. "As you probably know, some weeks ago it was stated that he would not be fit. He is due home on Friday week and is in good shape physically and looking forward to being part of the squad and hopefully playing in the games. We're very optimistic about Setanta and what he can contribute."
Eighteen of the 42-strong squad will be participating in a training panel for the first time and 27 haven't yet played in a test series.
"I think that's good," said McGrath, "because new players bring an exuberance and willingness to learn to the panel." Training sessions will take place on Friday nights at Dublin City University.
The coach emphasised that the panel was open-ended going into the All-Ireland final and that outstanding performances in what he acknowledged was "the biggest game of the year" would be taken into account.
Consequently both Mayo and Kerry may be able to add to their initial tally of five players each when the final panel of around 30 players is announced next month. This leaves the door open for former Ireland captain Séamus Moynihan, who is struggling to recover from an ankle injury.
If he is fit to play against Mayo, Moynihan will surely be included in the international panel. McGrath also said that Kerry's Darragh Ó Sé would have been included were it not for the injury he sustained in last weekend's All-Ireland semi-final against Derry.
All players approached with the exception of Tyrone's Owen Mulligan, who is travelling to Australia on holidays, and Michael Donnellan from Galway, who told McGrath that he wouldn't have the necessary fitness to play.
Neither McGrath nor GAA president Seán Kelly was able to give any indication whether club activity would be put on hold for players involved in the tests.
"That's obviously something we'd have to look at," said Kelly, "when the situation as to who's playing and what clubs are affected becomes clearer."
Virtually two thirds of the panel will be different to the one that travelled to Australia last year. No longer involved are: Kildare goalkeeper Enda Murphy, Joe Bergin (Galway), Kevin Cassidy (Donegal), Colin Corkery (Cork), Paddy Christie and Shane Ryan (Dublin), Gary Cox (Roscommon), Stephen Kelly (Limerick), Thomas Freeman (Monaghan), Joe Higgins and Beano McDonald, both injured (Laois), Kevin Hughes and the late Cormac McAnallen (Tyrone), Kieran McGeeney and Paul McGrane (Armagh) and Odran O'Dwyer from Clare.
Seán Kelly also noted that Down's Mickey Linden, originally appointed team runner, will be known as the Assistant Coach. "Runner is an Australian term but we feel that it demeans the role. Fr Horan is a runner. Mickey will be known as the assistant coach."
Other positions in the Ireland party were also announced: Physiotherapist Eoin O'Neill, Masseurs Arty Quinn and Billy Passmore, Kit manager Charlie McAllister.
The series will again be sponsored by Coca-Cola and the first test will be preceded by an international camogie competition with a Railway Cup hurling semi-final scheduled as curtain raiser to the second.
IRELAND (provisional training panel): *Philip Loughran, Steven McDonnell (Armagh), Graham Canty, Anthony Lynch (Cork), *Setanta Ó hAilpín (Cork/Carlton), Feargal Doherty, Seán Martin Lockhart, Enda Muldoon (Derry), Brendan Coulter, *Michael McVeigh (Down), Alan Brogan, Stephen Cluxton, *Bryan Cullen (Dublin), *Martin McGrath, *Barry Owens (Fermanagh), Pádraic Joyce (Galway), *Eoin Brosnan, *Colm Cooper, Michael McCarthy, Tomás Ó Sé, *Declan O'Sullivan (Kerry), Tadhg Kennelly (Kerry/Sydney Swans), Tom Kelly (Laois), John Galvin (Limerick), Paul Barden (Longford), David Heaney, *Kieran McDonald, *Ronan McGarrity, Trevor Mortimer, James Nallen (Mayo), Ciarán McManus (Offaly), *Séamus O'Neill (Roscommon), Declan Browne (Tipperary), *Seán Cavanagh, *Philip Jordan, *Brian McGuigan, *Ryan McMenamin, Stephen O'Neill (Tyrone), Dessie Dolan, *Denis Glennon, *Rory O'Connell (Westmeath), Mattie Forde (Wexford).
*Players asterisked have not previously been involved with an Ireland training panel.
