DAVY FITZGERALD will have to plan without Conor McCann during his reign as Antrim manager.
The ex-skipper has announced his retirement from inter-county hurling after 14 seasons.
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McCann won two Joe McDonagh Cups and was its Player of the Year in 2020.
The Kickhams Creggan man was a member of the Antrim Under-21 side that reached the 2013 All-Ireland final, only to lose to a Clare team led by Tony Kelly, Shane O’Donnell and Peter Duggan.
McCann was described by Antrim GAA as ‘one of the nicest men on the planet’ and an ‘amazing servant and ambassador’.
Meanwhile ex-Kerry supremo Peter Keane was last night ratified as Clare’s new senior football boss.
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And lastly in GAA news, Dublin hurling boss Niall Ó Ceallacháin has been dealt a blow after defender Eoghan O’Donnell switched codes.
The Whitehall Colmcilles man is set for another stint with the Sky Blues’ footballers, having made a temporary switch in 2022 after the hurlers exited the Championship.
As a key part of the side that reached this year’s Leinster SHC final, he is a big loss to Ó Ceallacháin as he takes over from Micheál Donoghue.
The Dubs gaffer told the Irish Independent: “It’s not something that we are very surprised by.
“Eoghan has been very up front and has had an itch for a long time to have a go at football.
“We wish him well, the footballers well and we’ll be getting on with things.”
O’Donnell, 29, was introduced as a sub by Dessie Farrell in the 2022 All- Ireland SFC quarter-final win over Cork.
He did not feature in the following semi-final loss to Kerry.
The impending addition of the former Dubs hurling captain will be a welcome one for Farrell as he bolsters his ranks in the wake, and anticipation, of notable retirements.
Eight-time All-Ireland winner David Byrne is set to return to the Dublin panel for 2025.
The decorated defender’s last game in blue was the 2023 All-Ireland final win over Kerry which saw him collect his eighth Celtic Cross.
Byrne stepped aside for 2024 in order to travel to Australia but, according to The Irish Mirror, he is in line for a return in a timely boost to Farrell’s options.
Byrne had started seven championship games on the way to helping Dublin win Sam a year ago.
It was a loss that Dessie Farrell had been expecting before announcing it following the O’Byrne Cup clash against Offaly last January.
His return comes at a good time for Farrell, who will be building for 2025 without the experience and pedigree of James McCarthy.
The nine-time All-Ireland winner announced his inter-county retirement on November 5.
