Kildare, despite their profusion of All Stars, will be glad to reach the Christmas break. Preparations for their final National Football League Section D match, against Down in Newry on Sunday, have been disrupted by injuries which have led to four vacancies being left on the selection.

Glen Ryan, Bosco French and Adrian McAndrew are all injured, and their places on the team have been left vacant. Anthony Rainbow, who played at right half back in the last game against Wicklow, has returned to Army duty in Lebanon, but his position is also left vacant.

After their win over Wicklow, Kildare are on course to go into the break with a 100 per cent record, whereas Down, who lost to Wicklow on the opening day of the season, will give themselves a strong chance of finishing in the top two if they can win.

The Down county PRO, Fintan Mussen, says manager Peter McGrath will be choosing from a full squad this evening and should be in a position to name the same side which enjoyed a comprehensive 11-point win over Cork last Sunday week.

In Cork today, Niall Cahalane's fate will be announced after county board deliberations on the incident in which he was cited as having got involved in a scuffle with the referee at last month's county final replay between Castlehaven and Beara. Suspension would rule him out of Sunday's Munster club football final between Castlehaven and Fethard in Fermoy.

Meanwhile, Dublin City University has announced four scholarships for freshman hurlers. According to DCU, the scheme "aims to encourage talented hurlers to attend DCU and this in turn will assist the development of the hurling club". The recipients will receive a grant towards the expense of attending college as well as their tuition costs. Funded jointly by DCU, the Leinster Council and AIB, the scholarships will also involve a support system to cater for medical care, playing equipment, fitness testing and general advisory services.

This year's recipients are: Shane Barron, from Rathnure in Wexford; Fergus McMahon, of Kildalkey in Meath; Teu O hAilpin (a brother of Cork dual senior Sean who played for DCU's Fitzgibbon team last year), from Na Piarsaigh in Cork; and Shane Ryan, of Naomh Mearnog in Dublin.

Kildare (SF v Down): C Byrne; K Doyle, R Quinn, B Fahy; AN Other, AN Other, D Maher; N Buckley, K Brennan; J Whelan, D Kerrigan, AN Other; P Brennan, N Donlon, AN Other.