Player withdrawal is the last thing a manager wants the week of his first championship match but that was the situation facing Wexford's John Conran yesterday.
Regular corner back Rory Mallon announced his intention over the weekend not to play a part in Wexford's championship campaign, and instead was due to depart for the US later today where intends to spend the summer.
The 23-year-old Mallon played at left corner back for Wexford in last year's Leinster final against Kilkenny, and had been one of their most consistent performers during the league. The Faythe Harriers player was also part of Dom Twomey's football panel.
According to country PRO Alan Aherne, Mallon trained with the panel as normal on Friday evening, and there had been no mention of his pending decision to go to the US.
It also means the player's services will not be available to the footballers for their All-Ireland qualifier against Derry on Saturday.
In the meantime, Conran has handed the corner back position for Sunday's Leinster semi-final against Offaly to Keith Rossiter, who, along with centre forward Donal Berry, will be making his championship debut.
There is no place on the team, however, for former captain Darragh Ryan, who despite his recent appearances in challenge games has failed to nail down the full back position. Instead it goes to UCD's David O'Connor, who played in the half back line for much of last summer.
Conran has left two vacancies, at wing back and midfield, in the hope that Darren Stamp and Rory McCarthy, who have been suffering with hamstring injuries, can pass late fitness tests. Offaly are expected to finalise their team later today.
For the other semi-final, Dublin manager Marty Morris has announced three changes in personnel for their meeting with All-Ireland champions Kilkenny at Nowlan Park on Saturday (7.0).
Former captain Dave Sweeney returns from injury to start at left wing back while in the attack both Keith Horgan and Ger Ennis have been given starting places.
Sweeney is a direct replacement for Keith Elliott, but Morris has rearranged things from midfield up, with Conal Keaney now partnered in the middle of the park by Carl Meehan, with Stephen McDonnell dropping down to the bench. Horgan starts at full forward, with Shane Martin moving to centre forward, and with Ennis in the left corner, it means there is no place either for Tommy Moore.
Kilkenny will announce their team after training this evening, but it remains unlikely that last year's captain Andy Comerford will play any role as he continues to be sidelined from hard training with an Achilles tendon injury.
In disciplinary news, the Games Administration Committee meet on Monday to address some of recent red-card incidents in championship matches. Among the main players awaiting word of suspensions are Meath's Donal Curtis and Louth's Seamus O'Hanlon, who both saw red in last Sunday's football double-bill at Croke Park and could be facing 12-week suspensions.
WEXFORD (SH v Offaly): D Fitzhenry; C Kehoe, D O'Connor, K Rossiter; AN Other, D Ruth, L Dunne; A Fenlon, AN Other; P Codd, D Berry, B Goff; B Lambert, R Jacob, M Jordan.
DUBLIN (SH v Kilkenny): B McLoughlin; P Brennan, S Perkins, D Spain; S Hiney, K Ryan, D Sweeney; C Keaney, C Meehan; D Russell, S Martin, K Flynn; T McGrane, K Horgan, G Ennis.
