FORMER captains Seán Cavanagh and Michael Murphy are out of next month’s International Rules rumble against Australia, but Ireland manager Joe Kernan says he has players who can “step into the breach”.
Tyrone star Cavanagh has pulled out of Kernan’s panel with a knee problem, while Donegal skipper Murphy is also on an injury list that includes Neil McGee, Mayo’s Barry Moran and Dublin midfielder Brian Fenton. Monaghan forward Ryan McAnespie will also miss out after impressing at squad training, but Kernan is confident he has the resources to tackle the Aussies in the one-off Test match at Croke Park on November 21.
“We’d love to have them, but unfortunately we don’t,” said Kernan on Tuesday.
“Injuries are part and parcel of it and there’s other boys who can step into the breach.”
McAnespie was injured last weekend playing for his club Emyvale, but his Monaghan colleagues Kieran and Darren Hughes and Rory Beggan are still part of Kernan’s plans. All three will line-out for Scotstown in this weekend’s Ulster Senior Club Football Championship quarter-finals, as will another Ireland hopeful, Mattie Donnelly, whose Trillick side meet Donegal champions Naomh Conaill.
“I hope they all come with a clean bill of health,” said Kernan.
The All-Ireland-winning manager is expected to confirm his final squad in the next fortnight. Tyrone’s Niall Morgan will compete with Beggan and Meath’s Paddy O’Rourke for the number one jersey, but when asked which other Ulster players are likely to make the cut, Kernan preferred to keep his cards close to his chest.
However, he did say: “There are other Ulster players in the squad who have done well and will be there.”
Kernan hopes to have Dublin’s Diarmuid Connolly available. Connolly’s St Vincent’s side meet Ballyboden St Enda's in Sunday’s Dublin Senior Football Championship decider.
“Their club is number one for the players, but they also want to play for their country, so I haven’t ruled Diarmuid out,” said Kernan.
“We are leaving the door open as long as we can and hoping we can finalise the squad then.
"A player of Diarmuid’s quality would really suit this game because we want to kick the ball and there is no better player in the country at kicking the ball, right or left, than him and maybe throw in a few scores along with that. But he is captain of his club and it’s a big commitment, so we’ll know in the next week or so.”
For the first time, Ireland won’t have any Australia-based players in their squad. Approaches were made to Carlton regarding Zach Tuohy and Ciarán Byrne, but neither was released, while Pearce Hanley (Brisbane Lions) is injured.
Aussie manager Alastair Clarkson has named a squad made up of All-Australian stars and Kernan hopes to see a return to the packed houses of 10-years-ago when public interest in the Series reached a peak. For that to happen he wants an open, competitive game with “a wee bit of physical” thrown in.
“Some of the boys are mad to get the tackling going,” he said.
“If it's a high tempo game, it will be exciting, but if it's a slow, pedestrian game, you can watch Manchester United-Manchester City last Sunday. Don't get me wrong, we're not looking for a physical battle, but we want a competitive game with pressure.
“We’re not going to make it easy for people, but if we want to go physical then we’re not going to win that. But nobody can tell me that we can’t kick a ball better than Australia and that we have to work on. How we use the ball when we have it is the most important thing to us.
“We catch it, we pass it, we support, we shoot and we don’t go into traffic. That would be our motto.”
