February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Pierce O’Reilly
Cork’s senior hurlers are booking plane tickets to the U.S. this week. Gunned down by a hungrier Limerick outfit last weekend, there is no back door or trap door for Rebels on this occasion.
Lively and accurate forwards Joe Deane and Seanie McGrath had hardly dropped the gear bag in the trunk on Sunday evening when the mobile phones were buzzing. New York and Boston were calling for the top guns. Next weekend, the mobile phones of several Clare or Tipperary stars will also ring as the loser’s head out of the championship for another year.
Cork full back Diarmuid O’Sullivan is also the center of some speculating this week and it’s reported he will also be on his way later in the summer.
New York football and hurling clubs were devastated to hear that dual star Sean Og O’hAilpin was ruled out of all action this summer. The Cork star was involved in a car accident three days before the first round Munster hurling clash against Limerick last weekend and he’s ruled out of all action for at least six months.
O’hAilpin’s car crashed at Nenagh in Tipperary as he headed home following training. He suffered a chipped bone in his knee and bruises to his body.
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O’hAilpin was instrumental in getting Kerry footballers and Limerick hurlers to the football and hurling finals last year in the Big Apple and his power play from midfield at Gaelic Park was the highlight of the summer for many avid GAA followers. He had confirmed earlier this year that he’d have no problem rejoining either club again this summer. His dream return has now be dashed.
In other GAA news, Kildare all-star Niall Buckley has rejoined the Lilywhites football panel. He was expected to line out for his club last weekend. However, their game was cancelled due to a clash of fixtures. The Chicago player flew into Dublin recently after departing company with the St. Brendan’s club in the Windy City.
"We’re delighted that Niall stayed with us for almost two years and he’ll always be welcomed back," St. Brendan’s chairman, Mike Murphy, said this week. "We wish him and Kildare well for the championship, if things don’t work out he might be back sooner than you think."