Anthony Daly, the Dublin hurling boss, has announced a preliminary 38-man squad for the 2009 season.
Damien Russell and Shane Martin are included after opting out of the squad during last year’s campaign under former boss Tommy Naughton.
However, Daly has been hit with a significant blow with the news that Ballyboden star Paul Ryan has decided to go travelling for the year and will be unavailable.
Meanwhile, the inter-county career of Kevin Flynn would appear to be over after he was omitted. Flynn captained the Dubs to Walsh Cup success in 2003.
Ronan Fallon, David Curtin and Gary Maguire are all included in the panel, despite the fact that they will be in Australia until the end of the month.
Alan McCrabbe, who also opted off the panel during last year’s campaign, returns after confirming that he will be available for the year. McCrabbe was due to line out against the Dubs Stars on Jan 1 but cried off with injury.
As expected, there is no sign of football star Conal Keaney, who was approached by Daly to renew the dual role he juggled up to 2003 before opting to stick with the big ball game.
Keaney was never likely to return as the Dublin hurlers and footballers start their championship campaigns in a mouth-watering double header against Meath and Antrim respectively on June 7.
Daly’s hurlers begin the season with a daunting Walsh Cup tie against All-Ireland champions Kilkenny at Parnell Park on January 18.
Dublin (SH Preliminary Panel): Alan Nolan (St Brigid’s), Finn McGarry (Ballyboden St Enda’s), Keith Elliot (Craobh Chiaráin), Derek O’Reilly (Craobh Chiaráin), Ger O’Meara (O’Toole’s), Philly Brennan (O’Toole’s), Kevin Ryan (O’Toole’s), Liam Rushe (St Pat’s, Palmerstown), Cathal Billings (St Vincent’s), Rory O’Carroll (Kilmacud Crokes), John McCaffrey (Lucan Sarsfields), Stephen Hiney (Ballyboden St Enda’s), Tim Sweeney (Ballyboden St Enda’s), Tomás Brady (Na Fianna), Michael Carton (O’Toole’s), Oisín Gough (Cuala), Niall Corcoran (Kilmacud Crokes), Alan McCrabbe (Craobh Chiaráin), Shane Durkin (Ballyboden St Enda’s), Shane Martin (Crumlin) Joey Boland (Na Fianna), Tommy Somers (Lucan Sarsfields), Liam Ryan (O’Toole’s), John Kelly (St Mark’s), Ruairí Trainor (St Vincent’s), Ross O’Carroll (Kilmacud Crokes), David Treacy (Cuala), Simon Lambert (Ballyboden St Enda’s), Peadar Carton (O’Toole’s), Kevin O’Reilly (Lucan Sarsfields), Stuart Mullen (St Oliver Plunketts/ER), Peter Kelly (Lucan Sarsfields), Declan O’Dwyer (Naomh Olaf), Damien Russell (St Vincent’s), David O’Callaghan (St Mark’s), Ronan Fallon (St Vincent’s), David Curtin (Ballyboden St Enda’s), Gary Maguire (Ballyboden St Enda’s).
Stick with setanta.com for further analysis of Daly's first squad by Dublin hurling expert Alan Waldron.