Johnny McGeeney: Visa issues won't hurt New York's Irish trip

New York manager Johnny McGeeney has said that immigration concerns will not impact their panel for their upcoming trip to Ireland for the Connacht semi-final with Sligo on 22 April.

The Armagh native was speaking to RTÉ'S Sunday Sport in the wake of their historic provincial win over Leitrim in the Bronx – New York's first-ever championship win – and he said that last year’s trip to Ireland for a Tailteann Cup meeting with Offaly has smoothed the way.

"No, my only concern is injuries," was his reply when asked about whether or not some players would opt not to appear at Markievicz Park.

"Out of the 43 lads that we kept on, 40 of them were able to go home [for the Offaly game] so we have no problem that way."

Not only was the Leitrim win New York’s greatest ever night, it also led to an extra smile between McGeeney and midfielder Johnny Glynn given that the former Galway hurler had told him all the way back in January that they would win on penalties.

By that stage New York were already well into their preparations for the game, a sign of just how seriously they took the fixture.

"I've never felt as confident in a team from when we got beat by Sligo and then we got the tanking off Offaly at home," McGeeney continued.

"We gathered that night and we spoke and when we held our first training session...usually you wouldn’t do it until January but I said I'd go against it, and I went two weeks before Christmas.

"I just put out a message to see if anyone was interested and from last year, 95% of the lads returned and that was a big lift.

"I knew there and then."

McGeeney can now look forward to meeting his old neighbour Tony McEntee, currently in charge of Sligo, and with this win under their belt, whatever happens from here it has been