SHORTS

LIMERICK defender Tom Condon has picked up a twomatch ban after his straight red card in the last round of the Munster roundrobin against Clare. That means he not only misses this weekend’s All-Ireland preliminary hurling quarter-final against Carlow but a quarter-final against the beaten Leinster finalists — either Galway or Kilkenny — the following weekend.

MONAGHAN captain Colin Walshe says his side are desperate to show they are still one of the country’s top teams. Victory over Laois in Navan on Sunday would see them into the Super 8s. ‘We want to push ourselves and show we’re one of the best teams in the country. We have shown that on occasions that we can put it up to the best but that consistency is what we need. If you get into the Super 8s you are going to get tough championship games and they’ll all come roaring at you and it’s something that this team wants to be part of.’

RYAN O’DWYER has retired from intercounty hurling. The Tipperary native, who transferred to Kilmacud Crokes and won National League and Leinster medals with Dublin in 2011 and 2013, has called it quits after being part of Pat Gilroy’s squad this season.