Galway manager John O'Mahony has called up four new players for their opening National Football League tie with Roscommon at Ballinasloe on Sunday. Joe Bergin and Kieran Comer move up from this year's minor side to make their senior intercounty debuts and there are also debuts for under-21 goalkeeper Padraic Lally and Lorcan Colleran, younger brother of Michael.
It was hoped that Michael Donnellan and Jarlath Fallon would be available but they have taken a break from training since returning from the International Series in Australia. Ray Silke is also on leave after getting married last week and as reported yesterday, Martin McNamara and Tomas Mannion have yet to return to the panel since the championship. Sean Og de Paor, Derek Savage and Shay Walsh are also in Australia.
Declan Meehan and Tommy Joyce will fill the vacancies in defence even if they are more familiar with playing up front, and Bergin will join Sean O'Domhnaill at midfield in place of the injured Kevin Walsh. Comer will start at centre forward, Colleran alongside him and John Donnellan, younger brother of Michael, will line out at corner forward.
Donegal also meet Ulster rivals Armagh in Division 1A and have named four new players from the team which fell to Armagh in the replay of the Ulster championship first round. Raymond Sweeney returns to take up the centre back position, Ollie Reid and Noel McGinley start in the half backs, and newcomer James Gallagher lines out in attack.
There are a total of nine changes in the Westmeath side to meet Limerick from that which lost in the Leinster championship to Laois last June. Shane Deering and Joe Fallon move up from the successful under-21 side to make their senior intercounty debuts while Aidan Lennon, Kenny McKinley, Michael Broder, Anthony Coyne, Damien Gavin, Lar Gillivan and John Cooney all make it into the starting line-up.
Four Tyrone players will make their league debut for Dublin's visit to Omagh, the first under returning managers Art McCrory and Eugene McKenna, with Martin Conway taking up responsibility in goal, Ciaran Howe and Michael Magee in defence, and Cormac McAnallen at centre back.
Monaghan manager Jack McCarville gives six players league debuts in the Division 2B clash against Cavan in Breffni Park. Derek McCarville takes over in goal while Gary McQuaid and Peter Coyle will play the right side of the defence. 19-year-old Raymond Ronaghan plays in midfield while Paul Rice and Dick Clerkin play at right corner and left half forward respectively. Kildare have postponed naming their team to face Down until after training tonight. Goalkeeper Christy Byrne is definitely out with an ankle injury and Martin Lynch, Declan Kerrigan, Ken Doyle and Niall Buckley have decided on a break at the moment.
The Cork county hurling final on Sunday will be the feature of TG4's live televised game this weekend when UCC and Blackrock meet at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Wayne Sherlock, Alan and John Browne, and Fergal Ryan, four of Cork's championship winning panellist, are set to line out for Blackrock.
UCC will also field an experienced team that includes intercounty players Joe Deane of Cork, Dave and Eoin Bennet from Waterford, and Eddie and Johnny Enright from Tipperary.
All-Ireland semi-finalist's Mayo have made a number of positional switches for their visit to Celtic Park to meet Derry. Dermot Higgins, a brother of Aidan, will make his intercounty debut in the defence where Kevin Mortimer will also line out in front of him. Enda Lavelle comes off his star performance for Crossmaglen to start at left half forward and Gary Smith will partner David Heaney at midfield. James Horan and Pat Fallon are both unavailable.
