From the GPA website:

The GPA today issued its members with a ballot for strike action…

The GPA executive has advised its members to vote in favour of the action which will consist of a removal of players from all inter-county competitions next season…

Read the full story

The 2007 hurling all stars team has been announced. The team is:

1 Brian Murray (Limerick)
2 Michael Kavanagh (Kilkenny)
3 Declan Fanning (Tipperary)
4 Jackie Tyrell (Kilkenny)
5 Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny)
6 Ken McGrath (Waterford)
7 Tony Browne (Waterford)
8 Michael Walsh (Waterford)
9 James Fitzpatrick (Kilkenny)
10 Dan Shanahan (Waterford)
11 Ollie Moran (Limerick)
12 Stephen Molumphy (Waterford)
13 Andrew O’Shaughnessy (Limerick)
14 Henry Shefflin (Kilkenny)
15 Eddie Brennan (Kilkenny)

No major shocks but as always there are plenty of debatable points. I thought Damien Fitzhenry would have gotten the goalkeeper spot but it’s gone to Brian Murray of Limerick. Limerick only got 3 awards with no spots for Stephen Lucey, Seamus Hickey, Brian Gearey or Mark Foley. Declan Fanning of Tipp got the full back spot, presumably for early season performances, I would have thought Lucey or Noel Hickey would have got it, especially given how Wexford destroyed the Tipp full back line in the all ireland quarter final. Stephen Molumphy picked up the number 12 spot in what was generally a weak position, Eoin Larkin was possibly another contender there after his all ireland final display. I would have given it to Eoin Kelly of Waterford except for some bizaare reason he wasn’t even in the nominations.

The All-Stars display page has been updated with the 2007 team.

After their painful end to 2007 Waterford have been handed a short straw again in 2008. They will have to beat Clare and Limerick to make the Munster final. In Leinster Kilkenny’s route to another All-Ireland Semi or Final seems straightforward given that they and Wexford were seeded straight into the semi finals.

Munster
Quarter Final: Clare v Waterford
Semi-Final: Clare/Waterford v Limerick
Semi Final: Cork v Tipperary

Leinster
Quarter Final: Dublin v Westmeath
Quarter Final: Laois v Offaly

Semi Final: Dublin/Westmeath v Wexford
Semi Final: Laois/Offaly v Kilkenny

InterProvincial Semi Final
Munster 1-21 Leinster 1-13 ( Read RTE Sport report)

Hurling/Shinty International
Scotland 22 Ireland 13

The annual clash between Ireland and Scotland in the hurling/shinty is on again this weekend at Fort William in Scotland. There are games played at 3 levels, Senior men, Under21 men and Camogie.

Scotland are the holders of the senior men’s title having won last year in Croke Park. The games have always been very competitive with neither side totally dominating. The teams are 14 players a side, somewhat of a compromise between the 12 players on shinty team and the 15 on a hurling team. In recent years the Irish team has been made up of players from the lower tiers (i.e. christy ring and nicky rackards cups).

The Irish senior panel is:

1. Mark Brennan (Carlow)
2. Martin Comerford (Kilkenny)
3. Brian Connaughton (Westmeath)
4. David Crimmins (Meath)
5. Eoin Donnellan (Longford)
6. James Donnelly (Donegal)
7. Aidan Healy (Kerry)
8. Kevin Hinphey (Derry)
9. Michael Keaveney (Roscommon)
10. Patrick McArdle (Armagh)
11. Sean McCullagh (Derry)
12. Don Hyland (Wicklow)
13. Jonathon O Neill (Wicklow)
14. Michael O Neill (Wicklow)
15. Des Shaw (Carlow)
16. Paul Sheridan (Cavan)
17. James Skehill (Galway)

The unde 21 panel is:
1. Kevin Campbell (Donegal)
2. Cathal Carvill (Armagh)
3. Declan Coulter (Armagh)
4. Mark Craig (Derry)
5. Danny Cullen (Donegal)
6. Kieran Dineen (Kerry)
7. Rory Dunbar (Carlow)
8. Adrian Freemen (Mayo)
9. Michael Gilmartin (Sligo)
10. Aaron Graffin (Antrim)
11. Cathal Kelly (Roscommon)
12. Niall Kilcoyne (Westmeath)
13. Eanna Lohan (Kildare)
14. Ruairi McCloskey (Derry)
15. Barry McFall (Antrim)
16. Ronan Keddy (Wicklow)
17. Keith Raymond (Sligo)
18. John Rogers (Carlow)

The issue of government grants for players is proving a tricky one to resolve and there’s every chance the GPA will call a players strike if it’s not sorted soon. There’s 5 million Euro in grant money available but there seems to be disagreement among all parties (GPA, GAA and Government) on how it should be distributed. The GPA and the GAA have been meeting regularly and according to GPA head Dessie Farrell “The time for talking is over”. They will meet sports minister Seamus Brennan later this week.

The thought of players striking seems crazy but the game has become so professional nowadays that the players need to be looked after. There’s always been a distance or divide between GAA top brass, be that at the national or county board level, and the actual players and quite often players seem to be forgotten about even though they are the ones that are the core of the association and games. On the other hand the GPA at times comes across as confrontational and they shouldn’t forget that it is still an amateur game they’re playing and also it’s the supporter who ends up providing the money and footing the cost for so many club and county activities. However any small money to offset the costs of todays crazy training schedules and regimes is probably well earned.

The Irish Independent today reports that Ken McGrath’s career is in jeopardy due to an acute pubic bone injury. Apparently Ken had to skip Mount Sion’s game at the weekend and has been advised to rest for the remainder of the season. Read the report on the Irish Independent site.

Following on the from recent all-star nominations we now have the Gaelic Players Association’s list of nominations for their team and player of the year.

The GPA’s team lists 3 players for each of the 15 positions, unlike the allstar version which has a general list for each line on the field. Their player of the year nominations has 1 change from the all-star player of the year, both have Dan Shanahan of Waterford and Tommy Walsh of Kilkenny, but the GPA include Ollie Moran of Limerick whereas the all-star version has Ken McGrath of Waterford.

The selection committee was Donal O’Grady (chairman), Cyril Farrell, Michael Duignan and Diarmuid O’Flynn.

Looking at the list of nominations some of the forward positions seem a bit uneven. Dan Shanahan is listed at 12 against Eoin Larkin and Stephen Molumphy. I would have thought Dan’s main work came from 10 or 14. The number 15 slot looks very weak with Martin Comerford, Lar Corbett and Rory Jacob. Eddie Brennan is listed at 10 even though he wreacked most havoc at 13 a la the all-ireland final.

The full list is:

1. Donal Óg Cusack (Cork), Damien Fitzhenry (Wexford), Brian Murray (Limerick)

2. Damien Reale (Limerick), Gerry O’Grady (Clare), Michael Kavanagh (Kilkenny)
3. Declan Fanning (Tipperary), Noel Hickey (Kilkenny), Stephen Lucey (Limerick)
4. Seamus Hickey (Limerick), Aidan Kearney (Waterford), Jackie Tyrell (Kilkenny)

5. Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny), Eamon Corcoran (Tipperary) Tony Browne (Waterford)
6. Ronan Fallon (Dublin), Brian Geary (Limerick), Ken McGrath (Waterford)
7. J.J. Delaney (Kilkenny), Mark Foley (Limerick), Seán Óg Ó hAilpín (Cork)

8,9. Michael Walsh (Waterford), James “Cha” Fitzpatrick (Kilkenny), Derek Lyng (Kilkenny), Eoin Kelly (Waterford), Tom Kenny (Cork) and Donal O’Grady (Limerick)

10. Eddie Brennan (Kilkenny), Ben O’Connor (Cork), Alan Kerins (Galway)
11. Ollie Moran (Limerick), Seamus Prendergast (Waterford), James Young (Laois)
12. Dan Shanahan (Waterford), Eoin Larkin (Kilkenny), Stephen Molumphy (Waterford)

13. Andrew O’Shaughnessy (Limerick), John Mullane (Waterford), Neil Ronan (Cork)
14. Brian Begley (Limerick), Kieran Murphy (Cork), Henry Shefflin (Kilkenny)
15. Martin Comerford (Kilkenny), Lar Corbett (Tipperary), Rory Jacob (Wexford)

There were two county finals up North yesterday, Dunloy regained the Antrim hurling title beating Loughgeil by 1-16 to 0-16 and Kevin Lynchs took the Derry title beating Banagher by 2-16 to 1-11. Mount Leinster won the Carlow title, Glenealy took the Wicklow honours and in Kerry the Eamon Cregan coached Lixnaw caused a surprise in beating Kilmoyley.

Loughmore-Castleiney and Drom-Inch will contest the Tipperary finally after the weekends semi-finals in Thurles where they beat favourites Eire Og Nenagh and Killenaule respectively.

In Galway it will be Portumna against Kinvara in the final. Portumna, inspired by Joe Canning once again, easily saw off Athenry in one semi while Kinvara qualified for only their second final thanks to late goal by veteran Gerry McInerney.

In Cork Erins Own struck late to deny St.Finbars a place in the final.

There’ll be a change in Clare after Tulla beat Clarecastle to reach their first final since 1933 and Crusheen beat Sixmilebridge to make their first final appearance since 1974.

And over in Wexford it’ll be Oulart-the-Ballagh against Buffers Alley after they beat holders Rathnure and St.Martins respectively.

The contenders for the hurler of the year and young hurler have been announced. For the senior hurler of the year it’s between

• Dan Shanahan (Waterford)
• Ken McGrath (Waterford)
• Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny)

And for the young hurler of the year it’s

• Mike Fitzgerald (Limerick)
• Seamus Hickey (Limerick)
• John Lee (Galway)

It’s hard to argue with the lists and it just further emphasizes that Waterford should really have done better than they did but it’s a little odd that you have 2 players for the senior award who didn’t even make the final, and you’re missing the 2nd and 3rd best forwards over the year namely Henry Shefflin and Andrew O’Shaughnessy. Shefflin would surely be there if he hadn’t got injured at half time in the all ireland.

That being said it’s fairly certain that Dan Shanahan will deservedly win the award.

The young player is harder to call. Hickey might get it and that would probably be definite if he hadn’t been terrorised by Eddie Brennan in the all ireland.

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