Peader Andrews was last night handed the first championship start of his career when he was named at left corner back in the Dublin team to play Meath in Sunday's Leinster football final at Croke Park.
The 21-year-old Andrews replaced Thomas Lynch in the defensive position after just 20 minutes of the semi-final replay win over Laois and is the only change in the Dublin side which narrowly came through that encounter to ensure their place in Sunday's final.
The replay marked the first appearance for Andrews in a senior Dublin jersey and he was only called into the Dublin panel after the National League final. He has, however, the experience of the minor side from two years ago and was praised by manager Tommy Carr as an impressive replacement for Lynch, who had been struggling that day with a below par performance.
Declan Darcy will stay in his position at right half forward after moving from the left prior to the last game with Enda Sheehy also holding onto his spot on the opposite wing. Carr has also kept faith with the full forward line of Jim Gavin, Ian Robertson and Jason Sherlock although he delayed announcing the substitutes.
Meath have also named one change in the side which comfortably dismissed Offaly in their semi-final by bringing Nigel Nestor into the attack as an indirect replacement for the injured Tommy Dowd.
Dowd has been suffering with a well documented back injury while Nestor was last night able to prove his fitness to manager Sean Boylan. He had been forced out of action himself this summer after struggling with a hamstring injury since coming on a replacement for Evan Kelly towards the end of the semi-final win over Offaly and earlier this season had to come back from a more serious kidney injury
He has, however, been playing both at midfield and in the attack since he first debut as a substitute against Dublin in 1997. The Blackhall Gaels man has since made nine appearances and even at the age of 23 is well experienced in championship football at this level.
The reorganised forwards sees Kelly move into the right corner forward spot from the half back position where he started against Offaly while Ollie Murphy makes the move into the other corner to take the place of Tommy Dowd. John McDermott will also start in his usual midfield despite suffering a family bereavement last weekend. It also means there is no starting place for Jimmy McGuinness, who had been showing some excellent form for his club Dunsany in recent weeks.
Croke Park announced yesterday that the game is almost a sellout, although a limited number of tickets for the upper deck of the New Stand will be on sale from the ticket outlet on Jones Road as well as the Leinster Council Offices in Portlaoise from 11.00 to 5.00 tomorrow. Ticket prices are £15.
Turnstiles open at 1.0 p.m. before the Minor final between Dublin and Wexford (throw-in 2.45 p.m.).
Meanwhile, Mickey Moran has been reappointed manager of Sligo's senior and under-21 footballers for another year. The former Derry star became Sligo manager three years ago and has since guided the seniors to a Connacht final and promotion to Division One of the league.
He also guided the under-21 side to victory in the Hastings Cup and is joined by selectors Paddy Henry, Vincent Henry, and Phil Gallagher. Former Sligo player Shane Tully, a member of Moran's squad in 1997 and an All-Ireland colleges medal winner with St Jarlath's, Tuam, in 1985, has also joined Moran's backroom team.
