GAA team news: Stephen Cluxton back in goal for Dublin

Jim Gavin makes six changes, Colm Cooper will make his first start of the season for Kerry

Dublin goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton will start against Down in Newry.
Dublin goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton will start against Down in Newry.

Division One leaders Dublin have announced six changes from the side that rallied in the second half to beat Cork the previous week in Croke Park for the trip to face Down in Newry. Captain, Stephen Cluxton returns to goal after rotating with Michael Savage for the Cork match. Bernard Brogan and Paddy Andrews are replaced by Kevin McManamon and Dean Rock in the full forward line.

There are two changes in defence, as Michael Fitzsimons is named in place of Cian O'Sullivan at centre back with John Small on the wing instead of Eric Lowndes. At centrefield Shane Carthy takes over from Emmet Ó Conghaile.

Kerry start Colm Copper for the first time this season for their match against Mayo in Castlebar. Long-term injury absentee Michael Geaney returns to the panel.

Their opponents Mayo make two changes. Stephen Rochford brings in Chris Barrett and Jason Doherty for the under-21 players Michael Hall and Conor Loftus, who played in the county's first win of the season against Monaghan in Clones last week.

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In the hurling league, Kilkenny manager Brian Cody continues his rotation policy with three changes. All Star Paul Murphy, Diarmuid Cody and Conor Martin all come in with Jackie Tyrrell, Lester Ryan and James Maher reverting to the bench for Saturday evening's match against Cork in Páirc Uí Rinn.

Cork are less restrained, as Kieran Kingston responds to the heavy defeat by Dublin in Croke Park with five changes. Patrick Collins, Shane O'Neill, Lorcan McLoughlin, Paul Haughney and John Cronin are all included in place of goalkeeper Anthony Nash, the injured Mark Ellis, Cormac Murphy, Daniel Kearney and Patrick Cronin.

Holders Waterford bring in Tom Devine whose goal was crucial in seeing off Tipperary in Thurles in place of Michael Kearney for the visit of Dublin to Walsh Park.

Dublin manager Ger Cunningham sticks with the team that recorded the big win over Cork.

Tipperary manager Michael Ryan makes three changes after two defeats at the very end of the matches against Kilkenny and Waterford. Kieran Bergin returned from injury against Waterford a week ago and starts at centre forward in place of Dan McCormack.

Niall O'Meara starts in place of Liam McGrath and Adrian Ryan gets his first start of the season, surprisingly in place of John O'Dwyer, top scorer against Waterford, who is named on the bench. Also starting there is All Star Séamus Callanan, whose first appearance of the season was due the last day but never happened because of a hamstring strain.

Monaghan's footballers, locked mid-table on four points with Kerry, travel to Cork with an unchanged team from the side that lost at home to Mayo last Sunday. Daniel McKenna continues in place of the injured Kieran Hughes. Malachy O'Rourke's team will be hoping to turn the tables on last season when Cork conducted a successful raid on Castleblayney to win by a point.

DUBLIN (AFL v Cork): Stephen Cluxton; Philip McMahon, Johnny Cooper, David Byrne; James McCarthy, Michael Fitzsimons, John Small; Brian Fenton, Shane Carthy; Paul Flynn, Diarmuid Connolly, Ciarán Kilkenny; Cormac Costello, Kevin McManamon, Dean Rock.

KERRY (AFL v Mayo): Brendan Kealy; Marc Ó Sé, Mark Griffin, Shane Enright; Peter Crowley, Aidan O'Mahony, Fionn Fitzgerald; Kieran Donaghy, Bryan Sheehan; Johnny Buckley, Paul Murphy, Donnchadh Walsh; Darran O'Sullivan, Colm Cooper, Stephen O'Brien. Subs: Brian Kelly, Denis Daly, Padraig O'Connor, Barry John Keane, Aidan Walsh, Pa Kilkenny, Brendan O'Sullivan, Philip O'Connor, Michael Geaney, Jonathan Lyne, Kieran O'Leary.

MAYO (AFL): Robbie Hennelly; Brendan Harrison, Ger Cafferkey, Chris Barrett; Lee Keegan, Colm Boyle, Shane Nally; Tom Parsons, Séamus O'Shea; Diarmuid O'Connor, Aidan O'Shea, Kevin McLoughlin; Evan Regan, Jason Doherty, Conor O'Shea.

KILKENNY (AHL v Cork): Richie Reid; Paul Murphy, Joey Holden, Shane Prendergast; Pádraig Walsh, Kieran Joyce, Cillian Buckley; Conor Fogarty, Diarmuid Cody; Colin Fennelly, TJ Reid, Conor Martin; Walter Walsh, Richie Hogan, Kevin Kelly. Subs: Alan Murphy, Jackie Tyrrell, Brian Kennedy, Conor O'Shea, Lester Ryan, James Maher, Jonjo Farrell, John Power, Michael Malone, Chris Bolger

CORK (AHL): Patrick Collins; Killian Burke, Damian Cahalane, Stephen McDonnell; Shane O'Neill, Christopher Joyce, Lorcán McLoughlin; Paul Haughney, John Cronin; Brian Lawton, Bill Cooper, Conor Lehane; Luke O'Farrell, Séamus Harnedy, Patrick Horgan. Subs: Anthony Nash, Stephen Murphy, Conor O'Sullivan, William Egan, Cormac Murphy, Niall Cashman, Daniel Kearney, Cathal Cormack, Paudie O'Sullivan, Stephen Moylan, William Leahy.

WATERFORD (AHL v Dublin): Stephen O'Keeffe; Shane Fives, Barry Coughlan, Noel Connors; Austin Gleeson, Darragh Fives, Philip Mahony; Jamie Barron, Tom Devine; Kevin Moran, Shane Bennett, Michael Walsh; Patrick Curran, Jake Dillon, Colin Dunford

DUBLIN (AHL): Conor Dooley; Eoghan O'Donnell, Cian O'Callaghan, Oisin Gough; Shane Barrett, Liam Rushe, John McCaffrey; Darragh O'Connell, Daire Plunkett; Seán McGrath, Niall McMorrow, Eamon Dillon; David O'Callaghan, David Treacy, Mark Schutte.

TIPPERARY (AHL v Galway): Darren Gleeson; Cathal Barrett, Tomás Hamill, Michael Cahill; Barry Heffernan, Ronan Maher, Pádraic Maher; Brendan Maher (capt.), Michael Breen; Noel McGrath, Kieran Bergin, Patrick Maher; Adrian Ryan, John McGrath, Niall O'Meara. Subs: Brian Hogan,James Barry, Séamus Callanan, Dan McCormack, Liam McGrath, Kieran Morris, Conor O'Brien, John O'Dwyer, Daire Quinn, Gearóid Ryan, Willie Ryan.

CLARE (AHL v Kerry): Donal Tuohy; Oisín O'Brien, Pat O'Connor, Paul Flanagan; Brendan Bugler, David McInerney, Conor Cleary; David Reidy, Conor Ryan; John Conlon, Bobby Duggan, Aaron Cunningham; Colm Galvin, Shane O'Donnell (capt.), Conor McGrath.

MONAGHAN (AFL v Cork): Rory Beggan; Colin Walshe, Drew Wylie, Ryan Wylie; Kieran Duffy, Fintan Kelly, Karl O'Connell; Neil McAdam, Darren Hughes; Shane Carey, Dermot Malone, Thomas Kerr; Owen Duffy, Daniel McKenna, Conor McManus. Subs: Mark Keogh, Conor Boyle, Paudie McKenna, Dessie Mone, Mark Thornton, Gavin Doogan, Pádraic Keenan, Ryan McAnespie, Conor McCarthy, Barry McGinn, Fergal McGeough.

ARMAGH (AFL v Galway): Matthew McNiece; Seán Connell, Charlie Vernon, Shea Heffron; Mark Shields, Ciarán McKeever, Stephen Sheridan; Aaron Findon, Ethan Rafferty; Stefan Campbell, Miceál McKenna, Aidan Forker (capt.); Colm Watters, Ciarán O'Hanlon, Tony Kernan. Subs: Patrick Morrison, Joe McElroy, Niall McConville, Michael Murray, Stefan Forker, Jemar Hall, Gavin McPartland, Rory Grugan, Ruairí McCaughley, Niall Grimley.

DERRY (AFL v Laois): Thomas Mallon; Oisín Duffy, Chrissy McKaigue (capt.), Karl McKaigue; Gareth McKinless, Brendan Rogers, Daniel Heavron; Niall Holly, Emmett Bradley; Ciarán McFaul, Christopher Bradley, Benny Heron; Shane Heavron, Emmett McGuckin, SL McGoldrick. Subs: Eoin McNicholl, Ryan Ferris, Ciarán Mullan, James Kielt, Ryan Bell, Conor Murphy, Conor McAtamney, Cailean O'Boyle, Daniel McKinless, Mark Lynch.

KERRY (AHL v Clare): Aidan McCabe; Seán Weir, Patrick Kelly, Keith Carmody; Daniel Collins, Darren Dineen, Tom Murnane; Tommy Casey, John Griffin; Shane Nolan, Michael O'Leary; Colum Harty; John Egan, Mikey Boyle, Jack Goulding. Subs: Stephen Murphy, Brendan Brosnan, John Buckley, Jordan Conway, Paudie O'Connor, Jason Diggins, Dougie Fitzelle, Philip Lucid, Mike Milner, James O'Connor, Brendan O'Leary.

Seán Moran

Seán Moran

Seán Moran is GAA Correspondent of The Irish Times


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