MICKEY HARTE has thrown in a familiar figure from the past for Dublin to contend with in tomorrow’s renewal of acquaintances at the All-Ireland quarter-final stage by naming Brian McGuigan in his team at the expense of younger brother Tommy.

Considered one of the greatest ever centre forwards in the game, the 30-year-old has been a peripheral figure in the Tyrone set-up for a few seasons after suffering several injuries, including an eye problem that almost permanently halted his career.

Tommy McGuigan is suffering from a knee problem that will eventually require surgery but his exclusion seems as much down to form.

The 2005 footballer of the year, Stephen O’Neill, an All Star in 2001 and still only 29, is another plagued by injury but is due to see game time from the bench.

O’Neill was expected to come into the full-forward line from the start but Harte has shifted 2008 footballer of the year Seán Cavanagh back to edge of the square, where he famously caused havoc in this corresponding fixture two years ago.

Cavanagh was followed that day by makeshift fullback Ross McConnell, who has since nailed down his preferred midfield slot in the Dublin team.

Dublin’s new and highly-rated full back Rory O’Carroll will probably be tasked with minding Cavanagh this time.

There are no other changes in the Tyrone ranks from the side that overawed Monaghan in the Ulster final on July 18th. Joe McMahon is again selected in the half forwards but he is expected to take up his highly-effective sweeping role in front of his fullback brother Justin. Conor Gormley may also switch from centre back to shadow Bernard Brogan.

Dublin manager Pat Gilroy will confirm his team at lunch-time today.

Down manager James McCartan has named the same side that beat Sligo 3-20 to 0-10 last weekend for tomorrow’s curtain raiser in Croke Park (throw-in 2pm) against defending All-Ireland champions Kerry. That means Dan Gordon remains at full back, where he will be tasked with curtailing Kieran Donaghy.

Kerry, as expected, have brought Aidan O’Mahony into their half-back line for the suspended Tomás Ó Sé, while Micheál Quirke’s impact off the bench in the Munster final against Limerick – when he wrestled back the midfield from John Galvin – sees him rewarded with a starting berth ahead of Anthony Maher.

Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney has firmly embraced the use of 20 players this season so Eoghan O’Flaherty’s inclusion at half forward ahead of Ken Donnelly (who is remarkably available despite a ruptured cruciate knee ligament) for Sunday’s quarter-final against Meath can merely be seen as tactical switch.

Much like Tyrone, the numbers on the Kildare backs are a poor indication of where these players will actually line up. Dermot Earley’s knee injury has not prevented his selection from the start.

Meath have stuck with the same side that won the Leinster football final and Cork manager Conor Counihan has also stuck with the same 15, to face Roscommon also on Sunday, that beat Limerick in extra-time last week.

KILDARE (SFC v Meath):S McCormack; P Kelly, H McGrillen, A MacLochlainn; M O'Flaherty, E Bolton, B Flanagan; D Flynn, D Earley; J Kavanagh, P O'Neill, E O'Flaherty; J Doyle, A Smith, E Callaghan.

MEATH (SFC v Kildare):B Murphy; C OConnor, K Reilly, E Harrington; G OBrien, A Moyles, C King; B Meade, N Crawford; S Kenny, J Sheridan, G Reilly; C Ward, S ORourke, S Bray.

TYRONE (SFC v Dublin):P McConnell; C McCarron, J McMahon, R McMenamin; D Harte, C Gormley, P Jordan; C Cavanagh, K Hughes; B Dooher (capt), B McGuigan, J McMahon; M Penrose, S Cavanagh, O Mulligan.

CORK (SFC v Roscommon):A Quirke; R Carey, M Shields, J O'Sullivan; N O'Leary, G Canty, P Kissane; D Kavanagh, A Walsh; P Kerrigan, P O'Neill, P Kelly; D Goulding, C Sheehan, C O'Neill.

KERRY (SFC v Down):B Kealy; M Ó Sé, T Griffin, T O'Sullivan; A O'Mahony, M McCarthy, K Young; S Scanlon, M Quirke; Darran O'Sullivan, Declan O'Sullivan, D Walsh; C Cooper, K Donaghy, B Sheehan (capt).

DOWN (SFC v Kerry):B McVeigh; D McCartan, D Gordon, D Rafferty; D Rooney, K McKernan, C Garvey; A Rodgers, K King; D Hughes, M Pland, P McComiskey; B Coulter, M Clarke.