Ireland co-managers Jeffrey Lynskey and Gregory O’Kane have called up 2015 GAA / GPA Opel All-Star Hurler of the Year TJ Reid for the Shinty / Hurling meeting with Scotland at Croke Park on Saturday 21 October 2015.
Lynskey and O’Kane make four changes which undoubtedly strengthen their squad which lost 24-14 to the Scots at the Bught Park last month.
It is the inclusion of Kilkenny All-Star TJ Reid that will catch the eye and he has been in terrific form this season. There are call-ups for Waterford All-Star Maurice Shanahan and Antrim’s Neil MacAulay who were both named in the squad for the first game but had to pull out. There is also a place for Pat Kelly who becomes the third Kerry-man in the panel. Kelly was a member of Clare's 2013 Liam MacCarthy Cup-winning squad before moving to Kerry in January 2015.
However it is the inclusion of Kilkenny’s TJ Reid that will catch the imagination and is sure to help swell the crowd. Just last week, Reid beat team-mate Richie Hogan and Tipperary’s Séamus Callanan to be named 2015 GAA / GPA Opel All-Star Hurler of the Year; the top individual accolade in the game.
Tipperary’s Patrick Maher and Carlow’s Paul Coady were late call-ups for the Inverness game and both are not included in the squad for the Croke Park clash. Down’s Gareth Johnston and Niall Ó Muineachain from Kildare are also left out.
This is a stand-alone game, a change from last year’s two-legged points format. The game takes place prior to the EirGrid International Rules game between Ireland and Australia which starts at 7pm.
Ireland from:
Eoin Reilly - Laois
Mickey Burke - Meath
Bernard Deay - Kildare
Paul Divilly - Kildare
Damien Healy - Meath
Zane Keenan - Laois
Shane Maloney - Galway
Neal McAuley - Antrim
David McInerney - Clare
Derek McNicholas - Westmeath
Bryan Murphy - Kerry
Pat Kelly - Kerry
Shane Nolan - Kerry
TJ Reid - Kilkenny
Eoin Price - Westmeath
Maurice Shanahan - Waterford
James Toher - Meath
Matthew Whelan - Laois (captain)
Saturday 21 November 2015 – Croke Park, Dublin
Hurling / Shinty International
Ireland Senior Men v Scotland Senior Men – Throw in 4.35pm
(Followed by 2015 Gaelic Football v Aussie Rules International)
Tickets for the game are priced at €25 for adults and €5 for juveniles and are available on GAA.ie/tickets and from selected SuperValu and Centra stores nationwide.
(Picture courtesy of Neil G Paterson)