Irish international Rules manager Paul Earley has confirmed his provisional panel for the upcoming International Rules series with Australia.
Wexford’s Datihí Waters is included in the panel after his magnificent performances at midfield for our senior County team this year.
The St Martins man follows club mate Ciaran Lyng and the great Mattie Forde by being chosen to represent his country in these series of games.
In total 15 counties are represented on a panel of 29 that is expected to be cut back next week ahead of the opening Test at Kingspan Breffni Park on 19 October.
Michael Murphy will captain the team and Cork’s Aidan Walsh has been confirmed as the vice-captain.
Mayo have the largest single representation on the panel with four players followed by Cork, Donegal, Laois and All-Ireland champions Dublin, who all have three each.
Galway, Tyrone and Monaghan have two each selected, while Kildare, Derry, Westmeath, Armagh, Louth, Meath and Wexford are also represented.
Zach Tuohy (Carlton/Laois) is the only AFL-based player in the panel.
Team manager Paul Earley said: “We are delighted to be able to confirm our training panel for the upcoming series and training has really stepped up in recent weeks with the inclusion of players from both of the All-Ireland finalists.
“We have a great response from players both in coming to join the panel and in training and we are pleased with the progress made to date.
“Injury has prevented a number of players from making this panel but we are very pleased with the group of players we are working with and very much looking forward to the two games.”
The Irish manager confirmed that Kevin McKernan will not be involved despite featuring in the training panel.
The Irish medical team advised that bruising to his knee was likely to be exacerbated by training for both his club and the Irish team.
Australia also named their squad, with former Kerry player and Sydney Swans great Tadhg Kennelly, part of their management set-up.
The Swans’ Adam Goodes, who captained Australia to a 2-0 series win in 2010, misses out on the series due to an injury which kept him sidelined during Sydney’s finals campaign in September.
The big star of the Australian side is Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin, who recently won his second Premiership with Hawthorn, but has since transferred to Sydney Swans as a free agent. The deal to take Franklin to Sydney has been the talk of Australian sporting circles in recent weeks, with the 6’ 5’’ forward reportedly signing a nine-year deal worth $10 million.
Provisional Ireland squad: Michael Murphy (c) (Donegal), Aidan Walsh (vc), (Cork), Paddy O’ Rourke (Meath), Colm Begley (Laois), Colm Boyle (Mayo), Ciaran Byrne (Louth), Sean Cavanagh (Tyrone), Paul Conroy (Galway), John Doyle (Kildare), Paul Flynn (Dublin), Finian Hanley (Galway), John Heslin (Westmeath), Darren Hughes (Monaghan), Lee Keegan (Mayo), Ciaran Kilkenny (Dublin), Paddy McBrearty (Donegal), Jack McCaffrey (Dublin), Niall Morgan (Tyrone), Neil McGee (Donegal), Chrissy McKaigue (Derry), Ciaran McKeever (Armagh), Kevin McLoughlin (Mayo), Conor McManus (Monaghan), Ross Munnelly (Laois), Aidan Ó Shea (Mayo), Ciaran Sheehan (Cork), Michael Sheilds (Cork), Zach Tuohy (Carlton & Laois), Daithi Waters (Wexford).
Provisional Australia squad:Tony Armstrong (Sydney Swans), Dominic Barry (Melbourne), Eddie Betts (Adelaide), Alwyn Davey (Essendon), Aaron Davey (Melbourne), Shaun Edwards (GWS), Cameron Ellis-Yolmen (Adelaide), Lance Franklin Jarrod Harbrow (Gold Coast), Joshua Hill (West Coast), Leroy Jetta (Essendon), Lewis Jetta (Sydney Swans), Nathan Lovett-Murray (Essendon), Ashley McGrath (Brisbane Lions), Steven Motlop (Geelong), Jake Neade (Port Adelaide), Mathew Stokes (Geelong) Lindsay Thomas (North Melbourne), Sharrod Wellingham (West Coast), Daniel Wells (North Melbourne), Christopher Yarran (Carlton).
Ireland play Australia on Saturday 19 October in Breffni Park, Cavan and in Croke Park on 26 October, both games throw-in at 7pm.
