uniqueweddingfavors.net

TREAT THEM ALL EQUALLY

0 Comments | Daily Mirror, The; London (UK), Nov 16, 2007 | by JACKIE CAHILL

LIMERICK senior football manager Mickey Ned O’Sullivan believes that he will be able to call upon the services of dual players Stephen Lavin and Padraig Browne in the New Year, even though the pair are on the verge of call-ups to the county’s hurling squad.

Hurling boss Richie Bennis has invited Adare star Lavin and Fr Casey’s clubman Browne into his panel ahead of the 2008 campaign but O’Sullivan is anxious to keep hold of two players he has described as “real leaders.”

A number of players have defected from the football squad to concentrate exclusively on hurling in recent times, namely Stephen Lucey, Brian Geary, Brian Begley, Mike O’Brien and Mark O’Riordan.

However, O’Sullivan insisted that he has received assurances from Lavin and Browne that they are also prepared to stay on board with the footballers.

O’Sullivan said: “I met Richie Bennis early in the year and we both get on well.

“He indicated to me that he would not pressurise any hurler to give up football and I can assume that he will stick to that.

“I’m not going to interfere with the hurlers, I’ll stick with my footballers but Padraig and Stephen would be our real leaders.

“I’m sure there are enough hurlers in Limerick, but they have a right to a cut at it.

“I am confident that they will remain involved with the footballers and I can only accept what they have said to me.”

However, O’Sullivan acknowledged: “They might have to spend more time in hurling because their first touch wouldn’t be so good because they have concentrated on football all along and wouldn’t have done much hurling.”

O’Sullivan is preparing to run the rule over prospective new players with a trial game pencilled in for this coming Sunday.

Meanwhile, another Limerick star Mark Foley has emerged as a late injury concern for Adare ahead of Sunday’s Munster club hurling semi- final clash with Tipperary champions Loughmore-Castleiney
leaner body