DUBS DUO ON DALY'S RADAR; GAA LATEST FOCUS MOVES TO REBUILDING.

Byline: PAT NOLAN 

ANTHONY DALY is hopeful that Conal Keaney will declare for the Dublin hurlers and he may be set to swoop for All-Star footballer Shane Ryan to boot.

The Dublin boss met with Keaney earlier this year but ultimately the Ballyboden St Enda's man opted to remain exclusively with the footballers having given up his dual mandate back in 2004.

Although Dublin claimed a fifth successive Leinster SFC earlier this year, it still went down as a hugely disappointing season as they once again failed to make an impression in the All-Ireland series.

The fact that they suffered a 17-point hiding at the hands of Kerry means there may be a rebuilding process in store and, with that in mind, the 26-year-old could be tempted to change codes and join Daly's progressive outfit. "There's a bit of a question mark about Conal (Keaney) and what's he going to do," said Daly while speaking at the VHI GAA Cul Day out at Croke Park yesterday.

"We'd love to have Conal Keaney next year, but the bottom line is it is up to him. He might try to do a bit of both or he might try to throw his lot in with the hurlers - that would be a major lift for us. But that's down to him. We spoke to him last year and he knows my position on it.

"We haven't approached anyone yet because they are busy with the clubs, so we are letting the hare sit and see what happens."

Keaney is leading his club's charge towards a third successive Dublin SHC title along with county captain Stephen Hiney and was instrumental in their recent win over St Patrick's Palmerston last week, hitting 1-7.

"He (Keaney) gave an exhibition last week against Pat's - he's a real natural hurler. We'll let the Boden boys chip away at him - let Hiney loose on him! And you'd never know what else might happen.

"You'd love to be able to get two or three more to make the team. If you could make three changes and are bettering the team with those changes you'd be doing great."

Daly is looking to entice the likes of Paul Ryan and Rory O'-Carroll back on board too after the pair went travelling earlier this year.

O'Carroll only linked up with the footballers though and played against Westmeath in the Leinster semi-final before setting off, but would be a significant addition to the Clare man's panel.

Shane Ryan, another former Dublin hurler who committed to football earlier this decade, is also on Daly's radar. Ryan won an All-Star at midfield last year but failed to earn a starting place under Pat Gilroy this season and, approaching his 31st birthday, may be surplus to requirements if Gilroy embarks on a rebuilding programme.

"I'd be intending to have a chat with him," Daly continued. "He hasn't played much, unlike Conal who has played a lot of serious club hurling the last few years.

"Shane with Naomh Mearnog would only be intermediate and he only plays when the football is over. I'm not closing the door on anything. I wouldn't be for saying either that someone like Shane Ryan would come in and we'd be throwing out one of the lads who served us well this year.

"I'd be for saying, if Shane wanted to have a cut we'd have a look at him. I'd pick anyone on merit."

Meanwhile, while Daly was encouraged by his first year in charge, he admitted that All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Limerick left a sour taste.

He added: "It was a disappointing end of the year.

"If you told me beforehand I would have been happy - stayed in Division One, shrugged off the semi-final thing and got to a Leinster final, beaten by four points in the quarter-final - I would have probably said 'grand job'.

"But as the year went along we were hoping to get to the last four."

CAPTION(S):

LOOKOUT Dubs manager Anthony Daly OPTION Former All-Star Shane Ryan has also played hurling POWER Keaney is leading Ballyboden's bid for Dublin SHC title