Crawford may opt to hang up the boots

Profile by Fergal Lynch Updated: Wednesday, 21st December, 2011 5:00pm

Nigel Crawford.

Meath's long-serving midfielder Nigel Crawford has this week confirmed that he will not be part of the senior football panel for 2012.

Stopping short of announcing his retirement from the inter-county scene, Crawford confirmed that he was stepping away from the Meath panel at the moment.

The Dunboyne player captained Meath to the Leinster SFC title in 2010, but he refused to bring the curtain down permanently on his long inter-county career.

It is understood that while he will not be involved with the Meath panel in 2012 that he has not ruled out the possibility of challenging for a place on the county team again in the future.

The Meath Chronicle were unable to contact Crawford on Tuesday morning and Meath GAA PRO Anne McDonnell could not confirm the details although she was aware of it.

"I have not heard anything regarding Nigel Crawford retiring. I have no idea if he will be involved with Meath in 2012 or not, other than what was in the national papers this morning," the PRO told the Meath Chronicle on Tuesday morning.

Crawford joins goalkeeper Brendan Murphy in stepping away from the Meath team and while Anthony Moyles has yet to clarify his intentions, it is also expected that he will not be part of the Meath panel for 2012.

Those three departures along with the absense of Ballinlough's Peadar Byrne and Skryne's Paddy O'Rourke from the early winter training programme will provide opportunities for new players to stake claims for places on Seamus McEnaney's panel.

The Meath manager is also expected to be without Simonstown's Shane O'Rourke for at least three months.

O'Rourke is expected to undergo surgery to correct a long-standing hip problem and his absence would be a major handicap.

Another player on the doubtful list is Nobber's Brian Farrell who is still recovering from a back operation and will definitely miss the early action.

Na Fianna's Jamie Queeney and Longwood's Mickey Burke could also miss the early part of Meath's campaign as they will travel to Ethopia to show their support for the GAA nominated charity 'Playing for Life'.

With Meath's first game of 2012 scheduled for two weeks time, Sunday 8th January against Wexford in the O'Byrne Cup and another game the following Sunday, McEnaney is expected to give opportunities to a number of players that have impressed in club games.

Those include Alan Forde (Navan O'Mahonys), Mark Collins (Duleek/Bellewstown), Donal Keoghan (Rathkenny), Donncha Tobin (Blackhall Gaels) and Justin Carry-Lynch (Gaeil Colmcille).