Gaelic Games Championship 2006: Dublin have included two championship debutants for Sunday's Leinster football quarter-final against Longford. Corner back Niall O'Shea and wing forward Kevin Bonner make their first championship starts under manager Paul Caffrey, although they did feature regularly during Dublin's league campaign.
O'Shea effectively took over from injured corner back Stephen O'Shaughnessy, who has returned to training recently after a shoulder operation but is still some way off match fitness. Bonner was brought in to strengthen Dublin's attack during the league to good effect and keeps players like Jason Sherlock and Ray Cosgrove on the bench.
Captain Colin Moran hasn't made the starting line-up, as expected after a lengthy lay-off with a groin injury. Caffrey has declined to announce a vice-captain for the trip to Pearse Park - the repeat of last year's clash in Croke Park which Dublin won by 19 points.
The team shows five changes from Dublin's last championship outing - the All-Ireland quarter-final replay defeat to Tyrone last August. Gone are O'Shaughnessy, Sherlock and Moran along with the injured Darren Magee and Peadar Andrews. Replacing them are O'Shea and Bonner along with David Henry, Coman Goggins and Mark Vaughan.
Vaughan joins Tomás Quinn and Conal Keaney in a dangerous looking full-forward line, while Bonner joins the half-forward line alongside Alan Brogan and Bryan Cullen. Brogan only recently returned to full fitness after a hamstring injury, as has Ciarán Whelan, who resumes normal duties at midfield alongside Shane Ryan.
Longford manager Luke Dempsey has also named two championship debutants: full back Noel Farrell and wing forward Padraig Berry. Both were members of the under-21 team beaten in this year's Leinster final, as were midfielder Bernard McElvaney and corner forward Brian Kavanagh. Trevor Smullen starts at wing forward, with Paul Barden in the attack.
Laois play Carlow in the remaining Leinster quarter-final, which has a 3.45pm start in Portlaoise. Laois manager Mick O'Dwyer will announce his side today. Forward Billy Sheehan is the main concern having sustained a groin injury a fortnight ago.
Carlow have delayed naming their team until after training tomorrow. Full back Mark Brennan was sent off in their first-round win over Wicklow last Sunday week, but will appear before the GAA's Central Hearings Committee this evening in an attempt to get the red card rescinded. Video evidence is said to be inconclusive, and it's likely manager Liam Hayes will have to find a replacement full back.
Down and Donegal have injury concerns ahead of their Ulster quarter-final meeting at Ballybofey. Down goalkeeper Mickey McVeigh and defender Dan McCartan have hamstring and knee injuries respectively, while last year's All-Ireland minor winning captain James Colgan has become one of the defensive options. Donegal goalkeeper Paul Durcan is back training while Adrian Sweeney is also pressing to make the starting line-up.
Elsewhere, Galway are set to have Joe Bergin back in training in the coming weeks. The knee injury sustained while playing for his club over the weekend was revealed to be minor cartilage damage.
While Kildare and Offaly are mainly concerned about the substitution controversy surrounding their Leinster quarter-final, they have injury problems too. Kildare will be without half forwards Karl Ennis and Derek McCormack for at least a month because of shoulder injuries, while Offaly are hoping forward Colm Quinn (hamstring) and full back Shane Sullivan (ankle) can recover in time for their next game - whenever that is.
DUBLIN (SF v Longford): S Cluxton; N O'Shea, B Cahill, D Henry; P Casey, C Goggins, P Griffin; C Whelan, S Ryan; K Bonner, A Brogan, B Cullen; T Quinn, C Keaney, M Vaughan.
LONGFORD (SF v Dublin): D Sheridan; D Brady, N Farrell, E Ledwith; C Conefrey, A O'Connor, D Reilly; B McElvaney, L Keenan; T Smullen, P Barden, P Berry; D Barden, K Mulligan, B Kavanagh.
