Ireland International Rules manager Anthony Tohill has included Tadhg Kennelly in a 31-man provisional training panel for the upcoming two-game series tour of Australia.
The team has been training since the middle of September and a final panel of 23 will be announced on 11 October. The team captain will also be announced on the same day.
Amongst the current training panel are some of the most experienced players to represent Ireland in the cross code including Steven McDonnell, Stephen Cluxton and Kevin Reilly.
Kennelly and Pearse Hanley will join the panel on arrival in Australia and in all 15 counties are represented on the preliminary panel.
Tohill said: “We are very happy with the panel that has been assembled and with the mood within the squad. Those who
have trained with us have applied themselves diligently and are looking forward to the challenge of regaining the Cormac McAnallen trophy.
“A number of other players were approached to join the training panel but were unable to do so due to injury and other commitments.”
“The selectors and I are working our way through the difficult job of cutting the training panel to the required number of 23. Players not selected in the final 23 will be on standby,” Tohill added.
The Irish coaching team includes Eoin Liston (Kerry), Kevin O’Brien
(Wicklow), Seán Óg de Paor (Galway) and Kieran McGeeney (Armagh). Mike Mc Gurn is the team’s physical trainer.
Ireland will play Australia in games in Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, on 28 October and the Metricon Stadium in Gold Coast on 4 November.
The team will depart for Australia on 22 October.
Ireland preliminary panel:
Stephen Cluxton (Dublin)
Leighton Glynn (Wicklow)
Rob Kelly (Kildare)
Emmet Bolton (Kildare)
Brendan Murphy (Carlow)
Colm Begley (Laois)
Kevin Reilly (Meath)
Karl Lacey (Donegal)
Neil McGee (Donegal)
Michael Murphy (Donegal)
Steven McDonnell (Armagh)
Ciarán McKeever (Armagh)
Danny Hughes (Down)
Kevin McKernan (Down)
Joe McMahon (Tyrone)
Darren Hughes (Monaghan)
Finian Hanley (Galway)
Donal Vaughan (Mayo)
Eoin Cadogan (Cork)
Aidan Walsh (Cork)
Patrick Kelly (Cork)
Tomas O'Connor (Kildare)
Eamon Callaghan (Kildare)
Kieran Donaghy (Kerry)
Darran O'Sullivan (Kerry)
Tommy Walsh (Kerry/St Kilda)
Michael Quinn (Longford /Essendon)
Chrissy McKaigue (Derry/Sydney Swans)
Zach Touhy (Laois - Carlton)
Tadhg Kennelly (Kerry/Sydney Swans)
Pearse Hanley (Mayo/Brisbane Lions)
