No Dubs to feature for Ireland’s International Rules side – Earley

INTERNATIONAL Rules selector Dermot Earley has revealed that the squad which will jet off to Australia next month won’t feature any members of Dublin’s three-in-a-row-winning side.

A combination of club commitments and injuries mean that Joe Kernan will be without the Dublin contingent when they head Down Under for the November 12 Test in Adelaide and the decisive November 18 clash in Perth.

“We’ve asked a lot of the Dublin squad to come in but just because of injuries, club commitments, guys just wanting to take a break, I don’t think there will be any Dublin representation on this,” the former Kildare midfielder said, “but that’s for Joe to announce.”

Aidan O’Shea is set to be named as captain of the side, replacing Bernard Brogan and Earley denied that the absence of the Dubs detracts from the series.

“I don’t think (it takes away from the series). It’s an Irish squad and it should represent the best players in the country and we’ve gone right around all the counties,” he said.

“We spent the summer looking at all games, so we’ve strong representation from the top teams but we’ve good representation from some of the lesser-known (teams) if you want to call it that.”

Earley (right) faces a hectic schedule next month. He will serve as a selector Down Under with Kernan but will miss the second Test as he will be travelling the almost 20,000km from Perth to Boston for the AIG Fenway Hurling Classic that sees Dublin, Clare, Galway and Tipperary compete in the Super 11s version of hurling.

Earley insists the clash was unavoidable.

“I was approached at the start of the year by Joe to be involved as a selector again with the Compromise Rules,” he said.

“I informed him straight away that I wouldn’t be available for the second Test as it did conflict with the Super 11s in Boston.

“He still wanted me to be on board with that and he spoke to Páraic Duffy and I spoke to Páraic as well, just to be sure before I accepted that they were satisfied with that. So I did accept.

“There was a specific window I had for both and it couldn’t have been changed. Obviously, in Fenway, it was set from a long time ago, an Irish weekend celebration of Irishness and that Sunday November 19 was always set in stone.

“I said from the very beginning before I accepted it that I wouldn’t be there for the second Test but Joe was happy to have me on board, he wanted to keep the continuity from the successful team in 2015.

“Having discussed it with my own board, and also with the GAA, they were supportive.”

Earley went on to defend the GPA’s involvement in the Super 11s format.

“I’ve spoken to a lot of people who say they are first-generation Irish, maybe out there 30 or 40 years, that are going to go to the game, that they are going to bring their family and their extended family.”