McGrath to complete sensational comeback

NOEL McGRATH’S speedy recovery from surgery on testicular cancer will see him named in Tipperary’s 26-man panel for Sunday’s All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final against Galway at Croke Park. McGrath, 24, won’t start against the Tribesmen but manager Éamon O’Shea is considering the Loughmore-- Castleiney star as an impact substitute at GAA HQ. If the game is in the balance in the closing stages, the introduction of McGrath from the bench would provide a significant lift to Tipperary players and supporters alike, potentially turning the tide in the Premier County’s favour. McGrath returned to club action recently and he has made further progress since linking up with the county panel again. Sources have indicated that there is one place on the Tipp team for Sunday’s game which is up for grabs. Michael Breen and Conor O’Brien are battling it out for the No 4 shirt, with corner backs Paddy Stapleton and Michael Cahill not in a position to start. It is understood that Stapleton sustained a rib injury on a training camp last weekend

and Cahill has suffered a number of niggles on his road back to full fitness. Breen was handed a start for the Munster final against Waterford but went off at half-time, to be replaced by Lar Corbett. Breen did, however, play extremely well against Limerick in the Munster U21 championship and, if he’s picked, O’Shea could reposition Pádraic Maher’s younger brother Ronan at corner back, with Breen on the wing. Otherwise, O’Brien will slot in to the left corner back slot, leaving the younger Maher to play No 7. Meanwhile, Kevin McStay has emerged as an early front-runner to succeed John Evans as Roscommon football manager. The Kerry native stepped down this week despite being recommended for another term by the Roscommon executive as a number of clubs were set to oppose Evans after a poor Championship. Roscommon county board will form a committee next week to search for a new manager but with McStay residing in Roscommon town and having led St Brigid’s to All-Ireland club success in 2013, he will inevitably be in the frame. Liam McHale, who worked with Cavan this year, was in McStay’s backroom team with Brigid’s. Former manager Fergal O’Donnell is also likely to be in contention. Former Laois and Limerick boss Liam Kearns, who was working with Evans at Roscommon, is also moving on and has been touted as a possible successor to Peter Creedon as Tipperary manager.