GAELIC GAMES:DUBLIN CAPTAIN Paul Griffin and Rory O'Carroll have been included amongst the Kilmacud Crokes substitutes for Sunday's All-Ireland club semi-final against Crossmaglen Rangers at Páirc Tailteann in Navan.
Griffin has not played an official match since rupturing cruciate knee ligaments against Monaghan over 10 months ago but he made a successful return to action last Monday night when lining out for Dublin in a challenge match against club side St Oliver Plunkett’s/ER, who featured both Alan and Bernard Brogan in their team.
Griffin trained with Crokes last night, allowing manager Paddy Carr to include him in the panel along with O’Carroll, who returned from his teaching job in France this week and appears to have recovered from an ankle problem.
“Paul had already come through conditioned training sessions over the weekend and the game last Monday but it was his first experience of competitive football for a long time,” said Carr.
“Sunday’s game is perhaps coming too quickly for him but we are delighted to be able to include him in the panel.”
All the Kilmacud injury concerns appear to have cleared up with the exception of long-term casualties Darren Magee and Mark Davoren. Pat Duggan and Craig Dias are named in midfield, while Conor Lamb is at corner back – but all three must still undergo fitness tests.
Dublin manager Pat Gilroy has named an unchanged side for tomorrow night’s meeting with Kerry at Croke Park.
Kerry manager Jack O’Connor will experiment with Bryan Sheehan at midfield, alongside Séamus Scanlon, as his side takes on more of a championship hue for their first visit to Croke Park since the surprise defeat to Down in last summer’s All-Ireland quarter-final. David Moran has not been dropped, rather shifted into the half-forward line.
Killian Young and Tomás Ó Sé, whose brother Marc continues at fullback, return to the defence as the new trio of Gary O’Driscoll, Shane Enright and Jonathan Lyne make way.
Galway and Mayo meet on Sunday at Tuam Stadium as their two new management tickets, headed up by Tomás Ó Flatharta and James Horan, attempt to allay mounting pressure after winless league campaigns to date.
Gareth Bradshaw, Adrian Flaherty and Eoin Concannon are expected to be available for Galway but Horan has delayed selecting a team due to a significant injury-list that includes Alan Freeman, Trevor Howley, Neil Douglas, David Clarke, Donal Vaughan, Conor Mortimer, Enda Varley and Chris Barrett while Keith Higgins is in Australia.
Despite Alan Dillon captaining Horan’s team in the opening two rounds of the National League, Andy Moran has stated he would accept the position if offered.
“It has not been decided yet but of course I would relish the opportunity to captain Mayo,” said Moran. “It would be an honour and every player in the squad should aspire towards it. But the whole squad will row in behind whoever James chooses.”
With no hurling on this weekend, Eoin Cadogan comes back into the Cork football team to face Monaghan at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday. Jamie O’Sullivan makes way.
KERRY (SF v Dublin): B Kealy; P Reidy, M Ó Sé, K Young; T Ó Sé, E Brosnan, A O’Mahony; S Scanlon, B Sheehan; D Moran, Darran O’Sullivan, D Walsh; C Cooper, K Donaghy, D Geaney. Subs: T Mac a tSaoir, A Maher, J Lyne, G O’Driscoll, P Geaney, K O’Leary, A O’Connell, P Crowley, D Casey.
TYRONE (SF v Sligo): J Curran; A McCrory, C McCarron, R McMenamin; D Harte, C Gormley, D Carlin; K Hughes, N McKenna; P Harte, B McGuigan, S Cavanagh; M Penrose, S O’Neill, E McGinley .
DUBLIN: (SF v Kerry): S Cluxton; A Hubbard, S Murray, M Fitzsimons; D Lally, J McCarthy, P Casey (capt); D Bastick, B Cahill; P Flynn, K McManamon, D Connolly; T Quinn, E O’Gara, B Brogan.
CORK (SF v Monaghan): K O’Halloran; R Carey, E Cadogan, M Shields; C O’Driscoll, P Kissane, D O’Sullivan; A O’Connor, A Walsh; P O’Neill, P Kelly, F Goold; D Goulding, C Sheehan, D O’Connor.
KILMACUD CROKES: D Nestor; C Lamb, Ross O’Carroll, K Nolan; R Ryan, B McGrath, C O’Sullivan; P Duggan, C Dias; L Óg Ó hEineachain, D Kelleher, A Morrissey; P Burke, B Kavanagh, M Coughlan.
Fitzgibbon Cup
THE 2011 Fitzgibbon Cup is destined for Cork or Limerick when the final is hosted by Waterford Institute of Technology tomorrow (throw-in 2.30pm, Live TG4). The semi-finals take place this afternoon when Cork Institute of Technology meet University of Limerick at 12.30pm, followed by Limerick Institute of Technology against UCC at 2.30pm.
Many of the country's best young hurlers will be on view along with some of the more established; Waterford's All-Star defender Michael 'Brick' Walsh being an obvious draw for the locals as he is part of a UL side that also includes Offaly sharpshooter Shane Dooley and Pa Cronin of Cork.
