NEWS:LAOIS MIDFIELDER Pádraig Clancy has failed to recover from a hamstring injury in time for Sunday's Leinster football championship opener against Longford in Portlaoise.
Clancy sustained the hamstring injury early in the Division Two final against Donegal in Croke Park last month, and although he has returned to full training in recent weeks, Laois manager Justin McNulty has decided not to gamble on his fitness.
Instead McNulty has moved Colm Begley from the half-forward line to midfield, where he will partner Brendan Quigley. Daithí Carroll takes over Begley’s place in the half-forward line, while Donie Kingston, who kicked three second-half points when introduced as a substitute against Donegal, must once again be content with a place on the bench.
There is one further change from the side that lost out to Donegal in the Division Two final as Cahir Healy returns to his familiar corner-back position in place of Declan Booth.
Leitrim manager Mickey Moran has introduced seven debutants for their Connacht football championship opener against Sligo at Markievicz Park, also on Sunday.
Moran had begun a rebuilding process this year, and with that named a largely inexperienced team that includes a new full back in Ronan Gallagher, plus corner back Paddy Maguire, midfielder Daniel Lowe and forwards Paul Brennan, Robert Lowe, Adrian Croal and Conor Beirne. Corner forward James Glancy has been named as captain of the team.
There is one welcome return from the past in centre forward Emlyn Mulligan, who missed the last two championship seasons having twice sustained the dreaded cruciate ligament tear.
Mulligan was a standout for Leitrim in his debut season in 2008, and his return couldn’t be better times as Leitrim look to upset the odds and set up a Connacht semi-final date with Roscommon, which would be played in Carrick-on-Shannon on June 12th.
Opponents Sligo have named just two newcomers in David Rooney at left-half back, and Francis Quinn at left-half forward. Manager Kevin Walsh has decided not to start forward Mark Breheny as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury, while as expected last year’s All Star nominee David Kelly misses out with an ankle injury, as does Jonathan Davey with a knee injury.
Veteran Eamon O’Hara once again forms a key part of the attack at centre forward.
Meanwhile Wicklow dual players Leighton Glynn and Stephen Kelly are expected to feature for both the footballers and hurlers this weekend, in both cases against Kildare.
The Wicklow hurlers face Kildare on Saturday afternoon in Aughrim for a place in the Christy Ring Cup final, and then it’s the footballers’ turn as they take to the field on Sunday in Portlaoise in the first round of the Leinster championship.
Wicklow officials asked the CCCC to switch the Ring Cup semi-final to avoid the clash, and although their request was refused, it won’t stop Glynn and Kelly from lining out in both games.
However, Sunday’s football has come too soon for Wicklow goalkeeper Meryvn Travers, who is still recovering from the serious knee injury suffered in last year’s Leinster championship meeting with Westmeath.
John Flynn is set to continue between the posts this summer in his absence.
Defender Patrick McWalter will also miss out again due to the recurrence of a knee injury sustained last summer.
LAOIS(SF v Longford): E Culleton; C Healy, K Meaney, M Timmons; D Strong, S Julian, P O'Leary; C Begley, B Quigley; D Carroll, J O'Loughlin, N Donoher; R Munnelly, B Sheehan, MJ Tierney.
LEITRIM(SF v Sligo): C McCrann; D Reynolds, R Gallagher, P Maguire; B Prior, G Reynolds, W McKeon; T Beirne, D Lowe; P Brennan, E Mulligan, R Lowe; A Croal, C Beirne, J Glancy.
SLIGO(SF v Leitrim): P Greene; C Harrison, R Donovan; N Ewing; P McGovern, B Curran, D Rooney; S Gilmartin, T Taylor; A Costello, E O'Hara, F Quinn; S Coen, K Sweeney, A Marren.
KERRY(SF v Tipperary): B Kealy; K Young, M Ó Sé, T O'Sullivan; T Ó Sé, E Brosnan, A O'Mahony; A Maher, B Sheehan; Darren O'Sullivan, Declan O'Sullivan, D Walsh; C Cooper, K Donaghy, K O'Leary.
