A RETURN ticket for one of Dublin's favourite sons, Shane Ryan. Ryan will wear a Dublin hurling shirt for the first time in eight years at Fingallians on Sunday.

The Mearnóg maestro has been named at centre half-forward in the Dublin team that will play the Evening Herald/Dublin Bus Dubs Stars at Lawless Memorial Park (2.0).

REWARDED

It was back in 2001 that Ryan last hurled for Dublin in a NHL Division 1 Relegation tie against Antrim in Parnell Park. This year he retired from the Dublin football squad after a decade of sterling service, which saw him rewarded with Leinster and All-Star success.

His midfield partnership with Ciarán Whelan was among the features of Pillar Caffrey's spell as the Blues boss.

Hurling supremo, Anthony Daly, has indicated that Ryan will be given plenty of game time in the forthcoming Walsh Cup to help him fine-tune his hurling skill ahead of the League and Championship. On January 31, Dublin will be away to the winners of Carlow v NUIG in the Walsh Cup.

Ryan has been playing regularly with Mearnóg. And his pace, energy and ball-winning ability could be a big asset as Dublin seek to build on last season's commendable showing.

This Sunday he is joined on the half-forward line by the experienced duo, David Curtin and John Kelly. Daly has picked a strong side for the annual season opener. Tomás Brady will play at full-back with Ronan Fallon wearing the number six shirt. A fully-fit Fallon will be another boost to Daly. The St Vincent's man was troubled by injury last term.

Highly-rated defenders, Oisín Gough and Stephen Hiney, also had their injury worries in 2009.

Joey Boland and Simon Lambert are named at midfield, while there is certainly no lack of arts and craft as well as scoring promise in the full-forward line, David O'Callaghan, David Treacy and Peadar Carton.

There's also plenty of calibre on the Dublin bench, including Tim Sweeney and Niall McMorrow, from the double champions, Ballyboden St Enda's.

Boden clubman, Finn McGarry, is the replacement 'keeper. He's a first-class goalie, and he made one of the saves of the season in the Dublin Division 1 AHL final against Lucan.

The O'Toole's pair, Ger O'Meara and Kevin Flynn, are also among the subs, as is Aodhán McEnerney, from St Brigid's, the newly crowned Dublin Senior 'B' champions.

DUBLIN (SH v Dubs Stars): Alan Nolan (St Brigid's); Ruairí Trainor (St Vincent's), Tomás Brady (Na Fianna), Oisín Gough (Cuala); Stephen Hiney (Ballyboden St Enda's), Ronan Fallon (St Vincent's), Niall Corcoran (Kilmacud Crokes); Joseph Boland (Na Fianna), Simon Lambert (Ballyboden St Enda's); David Curtin (Ballyboden St Enda's), Shane Ryan (Nh Mearnóg), John Kelly (St Mark's); David O'Callaghan (St Mark's), David Treacy (Cuala), Peadar Carton (O'Toole's).

Subs: Finn McGarry (Ballyboden St Enda's), Maurice O'Brien (Faughs), Ger O'Meara (O'Toole's), Kevin Flynn (O'Toole's), Tim Sweeney (Ballyboden St Enda's), David Byrne (Nh Mearnóg), Aodhán McEnerney (St Brigid's), Mick May (Lucan Sarsfields), Barry O'Rorke (Kilmacud Crokes), Niall McMorrow (Ballyboden St Enda's).

- Niall Scully