Big game first out for Dublin against Meath. Two debutants in McConnell (full back) and Connolly (wing forward). Connolly had a cracking start to the league so deserves a chance in the Championship, especially with injuries to Bonner and Sherlock.
I see they’re talking of suspensions for Cork and Clare hurlers now - the CDCC recommended suspensions so I presume they will want to be seen to act swiftly and decisively.
I think Ger Brennan is very unlucky to miss out at half back ahead of either Casey or Cahill. Not a huge scoring threat in the half forward line to complement Connolly with Moran and Ryan there. They’ll miss Sherlock but I still think that side will be 4 or 5 points too strong for Meath. I’ll be interested to see how McConnell gets on if Sheridan is in there on him.
Re Cork/Clare it looks like they’re going to make an example out of them. There’s been a load of outrage and indignation in the papers over the last few days so even though there wouldn’t be much said about it if it happened in a League game they seem to be laying down a marker for the summer here. Cork won’t want to lose Cusack and O’Sullivan and possibly even O’hAilpin and Gardiner who were involved to a lesser extent ahead of the Waterford game. That said uber administrator Frank Murphy will be on the case no doubt and after he got Anthony Lynch off last year I suppose anything’s possible.