Marty Clarke returns for Collingwood against the Sydney Swans tonight

Tommy Walsh has been dropped to the reserves by Sydney Swans coach, John Longmire.

The Kerryman was elevated to the seniors last week but has paid the price for a tepid performance against the Fremantle Dockers in which he accumulated just five possessions.

He also blew an opportunity to score in the final quarter, kicking out on the full when any score may have had an impact on the result which finished in a draw.

Walsh will now return to the reserves.

There has been more positive news for compatriot Marty Clarke who has been recalled for Collingwood.

The talented Down-man has enjoyed an excellent 2013 but sat out last week’s win over Geelong through illness.

Coach Nathan Buckley has overlooked Clarke’s Irish team-mate Caolan Mooney once again however.

Mooney scored a goal in the Magpies’ reserves win over Geelong last weekend in the VFL.

Setanta Ó hAilpín is named among the emergencies for GWS Giants after missing a couple of weeks for personal reasons.

The Giants are a 16/1 chance to upset West Coast Eagles in Sydney on Saturday.

Tyrone-born Aidan Corr has held his spot for GWS.

Meanwhile, Pearce Hanley will line up against compatriot Zach Tuohy as Brisbane and Carlton go head-to-head at The Gabba.

Hanley has been in sparkling form and the Lions will be looking to capitalise on their upset win over Essendon last weekend.

The Blues go into the match as favourites after winning three of their last four but the Lions will be hard to beat at home in Brisbane.

Sydney Swans’ Tommy Walsh

Tommy Walsh has been selected at full forward for the Sydney Swans for Saturday’s clash with Fremantle at the SCG.

His elevation ends weeks of frustration for the Kerryman who was named as an emergency in the last three games.

His form in the reserves, particularly his best-on-ground contribution last week against UWS, appears to have convinced his coach that the time was right.

“Tommy Walsh has been playing very well in the reserves so he deserves his chance,” coach John Longmire said.

Walsh played just three games last season and narrowly missed out on selection for the Grand Final.

In an interview with SydneySwans.com.au he said he was “bursting to play”.

In not-so-good news for the Irish contingent, both Marty Clarke and Caolan Mooney have been left out of the Collingwood side to face Geelong.

While Clarke is understood to be ill, Mooney was dropped by coach Nathan Buckley after making his 2013 senior debut last weekend.

Setanta O’hAilpin continues his absence from the GWS Giants side, despite last weekend’s hammering by Adelaide. The Giants face the might of Hawthorn this weekend and Tyrone-born Aidan Corr will play his third AFL match at full back.

Pearce Hanley lines out for the Brisbane Lions against Essendon on Saturday.

“Every training session and every game I play I’ve got to keep working on it and hopefully the coaches can see that improvement,” says Tommy Walsh.

Tommy Walsh says he is ‘busting to play’ in the Swans’ first team.

The Irishman wants to show more versatility to his coaches, as he pushes for a regular place.

The 25-year-old Kerryman has been a key performer for the reserves in recent weeks. Although he has yet to earn a regular first team berth, Walsh has been named on emergency list in the past three rounds.

To boost his selection chances, he plans to emulate teammate Lewis Roberts-Thomson, who can play in a number of positions.

“The more versatile you are, the more positions you can play when you come in,” Walsh told the club’s official website.

“When LRT is out there for us he does very well in more than one position and I look at that and see the way he does it and the way he impacts the game at both ends and it’s fantastic.

“That’s what I’d like to be able to do and I hope that the coaches can see me do that in the future,” he said.

He produced the best performance in the reserves’ recent win over UWS , scoring two goals and creating many others.

The Irishman said he is happy to play as a back or forward, as he has done with the reserves.

“I don’t mind to be honest and I feel comfortable at both ends,” Walsh said.

“I feel that if I was called upon I could play a role there, so I don’t really mind honestly and I’m just busting to play and wherever that is, it doesn’t bother me in the slightest.

“I played a lot of football down back when I was down in Melbourne, so I do feel comfortable there, but again it’s just about waiting for the opportunity.”

Next up for the Swans is Fremantle at the SCG on Saturday and the reserves play premiers Queanbyan from 4pm.

For now, Walsh is confident he will get his chance and is working hard to that end.

“All I can control is how I play, and I’ve been happy with that over the last few weeks,” he said.

“I feel like I’m doing a lot right and the coaches are telling me I am, so I just have to keep working on the weaknesses in my game, and as well as that, just start to play to my strengths more and more.

“Every training session and every game I play I’ve got to keep working on it and hopefully the coaches can see that improvement,” he said.

Collingwood’s Caolan Mooney

Collingwood’s two Irish stars played together against Fremantle on Saturday but the occasion was soured by injuries.

Caolan Mooney and Marty Clarke were both forced from the field in the Magpies’ loss.

Clarke sustained a hamstring injury in the second quarter and was subbed out. Mooney was his replacement and went on to score an impressive goal before he was involved in an awkward knee-cap on knee-cap collision in the fourth quarter.

He was forced to leave the field, assisted by trainers. However, he returned to finish out the match.

A spokesman for Collingwood said the two players were recovering well but Clarke remains in some doubt for this week’s clash with Geelong.

Elsewhere, Brisbane’s Pearce Hanley had another eye-catching performance for the Lions.

The Mayoman accumulated 31 disposals against West Coast but it was enough to stave off another defeat.

The Lions season is now on the line and, with in-form Essendon awaiting in round 8, finals football may elude the Brisbane side again in 2013.

Irish-born Aidan Corr played his second game for the Giants but it will not be a game he will remember with any fondness.

The GWS lost by more than 125 points to a rampaging Adelaide Crows side in front a paltry 6,000 strong crowd in Sydney.

Tommy Walsh produced the best performance of the season so far in the Sydney Swans reserves, scoring two goals and creating many others.

The tall Kerryman is still waiting for his opportunity in the seniors.

Next up for the Swans is Fremantle at the SCG on Saturday. The reserves play premiers Queanbyan from 4pm.

Zach Tuohy plays tonight (Monday) for Carlton against St Kilda.

Darragh Joyce (left), who is understood to be on the verge of signing a deal with the Sydney Swans. He is pictured with his brother Kieran, a senior county hurler for Kilkenny, holding the Liam McCarthy Cup. Pic: Good Counsel College

The Sydney Swans are on the brink of signing a budding teenage Kilkenny hurling star, according to reports in Ireland.

Minor hurler Darragh Joyce, brother of senior defender Kieran, is close to signing for the AFL Premiers, according to the Irish Examiner.

Joyce, just turned 16, has attracted huge interest from Tadhg Kennelly’s former club playing for New Ross school Good Counsel in this year’s Leinster Colleges football championship.

“It is understood the 6ft 2in Rower-Inistioge player and his family have already met Swans officials in Dublin and a deal is believed to be imminent,” the Examiner reported.

The signing of Joyce would mark the first time since Setanta Ó hAilpín that a player predominantly skilled in hurling has been recruited by an AFL outfit.

He would join Kerryman Tommy Walsh on the Swans player list.

The Irish Echo is seeking comment from the Sydney Swans.

Darragh is the younger brother of Kilkenny hurling star, Kieran Joyce,

Caolan Mooney and his dog Ali in Collingwood gear. Pic: Twitter

Caolan Mooney has been included in the Collingwood squad to face Fremantle this weekend in Perth.

It is fitting reward for the young Irishman who has been working hard in the reserves since recovering form an injury.

Last weekend, he scored five goals for the Magpie reserves and his good form has caught the eye of head coach Nathan Buckley.

Mooney is out of contract at the end of this season and has admitted to concern over his future at the club.

Last week, he told Collingwoodfc.com.au: “The aim for me this year is just to get another contract otherwise I’m back to Ireland.”

The 20-year-old’s elevation to the senior team for the first time since August last year.

This will be his fifth AFL appearance and he will run out beside fellow Down-man Marty Clarke who is in a vein of good form for the Pies.

Clarke has played every game this season, accumulating an average of 19 disposals.

Elsewhere, Setanta OhAilpin will miss the GWS Giants clash with Adelaide. The big Corkman is fit to play but is unavailable for personal reasons. The Irish Echo understands that he will return to action in Round 8.

Irish-born teenager Aidan Corr has held onto his place however and will play for the Giants at Skoda Stadium.

Zach Tuohy lines out for the Carlton Blues as they seek to cement their top eight credentials against St Kilda on Sunday.

Pearce Hanley will be looking to maintain his stellar season for the Lions against the West Coast Eagles in Brisbane. Compatriot Niall McKeever continues to be overlooked for senior selection.

Also on the sidelines is the Sydney Swans Tommy Walsh, who is once again named as an emergency for the Swans clash with Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday.

The Grand Final rematch will be the game of the round.

A teenager originally from Brocagh Co Tyrone is to begin his AFL career this weekend with the GWS Giants.

Aidan Corr, who came to Australia at the age of three with parents Raymond and Catherine, and siblings Elaine, Cathal and Izzie, becomes the latest Irish-born player to play senior footy.

He gets his opportunity replacing injured co-captain Phil Davis in the backline for this week’s clash with Essendon at Etihad Stadium.

Mentored by Tadhg Kennelly and befriended by Setanta Ó hAilpín, Corr very much admires the Irish players who adapted to the Aussie code.

“Definitely (I look up to the Irish AFL players that have come before),” he told AAP. “It’s good to have Setanta around the club, I can talk to him about how hard it is not having family around.

“And I had Tadhg Kennelly as my mentor at the AIS program, it was good to talk to him and he helped me.”

Tyrone-born GWS Giants player Aidan Corr, who will debut in the AFL this weekend. Pic: GWS Giants

Essendon have shown a ruthless streak in their 5-0 start to the season and the Giants are long outsiders in the match but Corr’s not too fussed.

“I’m just excited. I can’t wait,” he said.

Sadly Setanta Ó hAilpín will miss the match with a calf strain.

Aidan is not the first in his family to play AFL. His brother Aidan played for St Kilda and Collingwood.

His dad played basketball for Ireland and was Gaelic football coach for his home village of Brocagh.

Although he is glad his parents took a punt on Australia, he still sees Ireland as his home.

“Ireland is very important to me,” he told the Coalisland Post last year. “It’s where I’m from and I’ll never forget it, especially with all my family still over there.”

A calf strain has ruled Setanta out for a week.

Setanta Ó hAilpín will miss Saturday’s match against Essendon with a calf injury.

Ó hAilpín, who has kicked eight goals in his first two games back from a knee injury, is expected to return for the Giants in the round seven match against Adelaide at Skoda Stadium.

Meanwhile, Pearce Hanley returns from his one-game suspension for the Lions’ trip to Sydney this weekend.

The ban ended the Mayo native’s 56-straight run of consecutive games for the Lions.

Tommy Walsh did not make an appearance for the Swans’ historic Anzac Day clash with St Kilda in Wellington but he will be waiting should John Longmire opt to use him instead of Sam Reid.

Brisbane Lions star Pearce Hanley (File Pic)

Pearce Hanley’s streak of 56 consecutive AFL matches will come to an end this Sunday after the Brisbane Lion received a one-match suspension from the AFL Match Review Panel.

Hanley was charged with a Level Two striking offence against North Melbourne forward Lindsay Thomas during the third quarter of their Round 4 match.

In summary, due to his previous poor record, his one-match sanction remained at one match, even with an early plea.

The 24 year-old previously held the second longest current streak of consecutive matches at the Club – behind teammate Jack Redden who has played 80 straight games.

Hanley had sustained an injury in the clash with North Melbourne so his suspension may be opportune.

The Mayo-man has impressed this season. There is a feature interview with him in the latest print edition of the Irish Echo, now on sale.

In better news for the Irish contingent, Tommy Walsh is in New Zealand with the Sydney Swans having been named in an extended 25-man squad for the Anzac Day clash against St Kilda in Wellington.

The Kerryman has impressed for the Swans reserves in recent weeks but coach John Longmire has shown that he is reluctant to tinker with the starting 22.

Setanta Ó hAilpín will be desperate to build on his impressive five-goal haul against the Melbourne Demons last week. The GWS Giants play the Gold Coast Suns in Sydney.

Setanta Ó hAilpín has exploded back onto the AFL scene with five goals for Greater Western Sydney against Melbourne Demons in his first game since sustaining a season ending knee injury almost 12 months ago.

The only part of the performance that topped his goal spree was the jubilant celebrations that followed each major. Clearly ecstatic to be back, his post-goal reactions dominated social media conversation for the duration of the game.

The video above shows the Irishman celebrating wildly after scoring his first goal ion his first game back.

Unfortunately though, his five goal, three behind tally didn’t lead to Greater Western Sydney’s first victory of the season.

Instead a late surge by the Melbourne Demons ensured them their first, and much needed win.

Setanta announced his return with five goals against the Dees.

Having been on the end of some severe beatings so far this season and then implicated in the Australian sports anti-doping investigation, the Dees finally gave their fans some hope with a come from behind 41-point win.

Trailing by 19 points at three quarter time the beloved club of Irish AFL legend Jim Stynes had the best quarter in their history kicking 12 goals and a behind in the final term.

Despite the result there’s no doubting that GWS coach Kevin Sheedy will be happy with the return display of the Corkman who matched the five goal haul he managed for the reserves a week earlier in the cauldron that is the MCG on a Sunday.

Meanwhile, Martin Clarke prepared for Collingwood’s blockbuster Anzac Day clash with Essendon on Thursday by notching up his second goal of the season in the Pies’ 34-point win over Richmond. The 25-year-old continued his solid start to the season with a 20-disposal haul.

It was also a good weekend for Zach Tuohy as his Carlton side secured their first win of the season under new coach Mick Malthouse. Tuohy racked up 17 disposals in the Blues 24-point win over the West Coast Eagles in Perth.

After an explosive start to the season, Brisbane Lions’ Pearce Hanley was stopped in his tracks. The talented Irishman was forced to watch as his side capitulated against North Melbourne as he succumbed to injury.

The former Gaelic footballer left the field in the third quarter with a knee complaint and spent the rest of the game icing it. Incredibly the Mayo-man had done enough to secure his place on the best performers list before the leaving the field as the Lions suffered a 63-point thumping at the hands of North Melbourne

On a brighter note, Hanley’s compatriot Niall McKeever kicked his first goal of the season for the Lions. The 24-year-old racked up 10 disposals in his second game so far this year.

Yet to play senior football in season 2013 Tommy Walsh kicked five goals for the Sydney Swans reserves following up a goal blitz of seven a week earlier.

Following a pre-season of injury setbacks including a shoulder reconstruction, back and hamstring lay offs no doubt the Kerry man is eager for a slot in the senior set up.

Pick up Wednesday’s Irish Echo to read our interview with Pearce Hanley.