Leinster SFC: Dublin make two changes for clash against Laois

Jim Gavin names 11 of side that started All-Ireland final win against Kerry

Kevin McManamon: lines out at corner forward against Laois in place of Paul Mannion. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho.
Kevin McManamon: lines out at corner forward against Laois in place of Paul Mannion. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho.

All-Ireland champions Dublin name 11 of the side that started last September’s final for Saturday’s Leinster championship clash with Laois in Nowlan Park.

For what will the holders’ first match outside Croke Park in 10 years, manager Jim Gavin brings in former Footballer of the Year Michael Darragh Macauley at centrefield, his first start since last year’s drawn All-Ireland semi-final against Mayo in one of two changes to the side that convincingly won April’s league final against Kerry.

McCauley replaces Denis Bastick whereas in attack Kevin McManamon starts instead of Paul Mannion.

As expected David Byrne and John Small come in for Rory O’Carroll and Jack McCaffrey, who are abroad and miss this year’s championship.

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Opponents Laois welcome back Colm Begley and Conor Meredith, who both missed the first round win over Wicklow last month.

Monaghan face Down in this weekend’s Ulster football quarter-final with just six of the players who featured when they last beat their opponents in championship nine years ago named on the match panel for Clones.

DUBLIN (SF v Laois): S Cluxton: P McMahon, J Cooper, D Byrne; J McCarthy, C O'Sullivan, J Small; M D Macauley, B Fenton; P Flynn, D Rock, C Kilkenny; K McManamon, D Connolly, B Brogan.

LAOIS: G Brody; D O'Connor, M Timmons, P Cotter; S Attride, D Strong, C Begley; C Meredith, B Quigley; P Cahillane, J O'Loughlin, G Dillon; D Kingston, E O'Carroll, G Walsh.

MONAGHAN (SF v Down): R Beggan; C Walsh, D Wylie, R Wylie; D Mone, V Corey, K O'Connell; N McAdam, K Hughes; S Carey, D Malone, R McAnespie; O Duffy, D Hughes, C McManus.

LAOIS (SHC v Offaly): E Rowland; D Palmer, Dn Maher, Cr Healy; L Bergin, M Whelan, R Mullaney; P Purcell, C Stapleton; C Dwyer, N Foyle, S Maher; J Lennon, W Hyland, PJ Scully.

Seán Moran

Seán Moran

Seán Moran is GAA Correspondent of The Irish Times