GAELIC GAMES TEAM NEWS:THE MAIN news coming from intercounty squads across the country last night was the return of two famous Tyrone brothers and the possible reappearance of the best Galway forward yet to be recognised with an All Star.
Tyrone, the defending Ulster champions, are inching closer to a full strength line-up as Joe McMahon returns from a two month lay-off ahead of Sunday’s semi-final against Donegal in Clones. This sees Cathal McCarron dropped to the substitutes as McMahon regains the number three jersey.
Although Conor Gormley was named at centre back in the 1-13 to 1-11 defeat of Monaghan on June 5th, he actually operated at full back, with Ryan McMenamin positioned in the heart of the Tyrone defence.
McMahon, who had his jaw smashed playing for Omagh in a club game, is joined in the panel by brother Justin after his recovery from a hamstring problem. The only other change seems injury enforced as Aidan Cassidy, having picked up an ankle injury in a club game, is replaced by veteran midfielder Kevin Hughes.
Owen Mulligan and Tommy McGuigan are notable figures amongst the replacements as they await an opportunity, mainly due to the resurgence of Tommy’s elder brother Brian and former footballer of the year Stephen O’Neill.
Meanwhile, Galway, the last team out in the championship a full 11 weeks after their league campaign ended, could turn to Michael Meehan if things go sour against Mayo on Sunday in Castlebar. Meehan has been plagued by knee and more recently an ankle injury but the 27-year-old has been back running for several weeks now.
Seán Armstrong’s continued absence, due to a torn hamstring, means a heavy reliance remains on 34-year-old Pádraic Joyce to deliver scores if Galway are to progress to the Connacht final against Roscommon on July 17th.
Some good news came out of Carlow last night as full back Conor Lawlor was passed fit to face Wexford in the Leinster football quarter-final at Croke Park on Sunday.
Lawlor sustained a shoulder injury playing hurling for Carlow Town in a Kilkenny junior league fixture on the same day he performed so impressively for the footballers in their defeat of Louth on June 12th.
Wexford manager Jason Ryan has named the same team that had 12 points to spare against Westmeath, although the lines will not be as regimented as they appear.
Right corner forward Colm Morris will drop deep into his usual play-making role, while the majority of scores are coming from free-wheeling half forwards Ciarán Lyng and Ben Brosnan. David Murphy captains the side from centre back.
Wexford are attempting to return to the Leinster final for the first time since 2008, Ryan’s first season at the helm.
TYRONE (SFC v Donegal):P McConnell; M Swift, Joe McMahon, R McMenamin; D Harte, C Gormley, P Jordan; K Hughes, S Cavanagh; B Dooher, B McGuigan, P Harte; M Penrose, S O'Neill, M Donnelly.
GALWAY (SFC v Mayo):A Faherty; A Burke, C Forde, J Duane; G O'Donnell, G Higgins, G Sice; J Bergin, F Hanley; O Concannon, M Hehir, G Bradshaw; P Joyce, P Conroy, C Bane.
CARLOW (SFC v Wexford):T O'Reilly; A Murphy, C Lawlor, B Kavanagh; P Cashin, S Redmond, K Nolan; B Murphy, D Foley; P Hickey, T Walsh, E Finnegan; B Murphy, S Gannon, D St Ledger.
WEXFORD (SFC v Carlow):A Masterson; J Wadding, G Molloy, B Malone; A Flynn, D Murphy, A Doyle; R Quinlivan, D Waters; S Roche, C Lyng, B Brosnan; C Morris, E Bradley, R Barry.
ANTRIM (SFC v Westmeath):S ONeill; C Brady, R Johnston, K O'Boyle; T Scullion, J Crozier, A Healey; M McCann, A Gallagher; C Murray, T McCann, M Sweeney; P Cunningham, B Herron, K Niblock.
ANTRIM (SHC v Carlow):C O'Connell; C McGuinness, C Donnelly, K McGourty; A Graffin, M Herron, N McAuley; P Shiels, K Molloy; S McCrory, K Stewart, E McCloskey; C McCann, D Hamill, N McManus.
FERMANAGH (SFC v London):J McGrath; J Woods, B Owens, M Jones; M OBrien, N McGovern, K Cosgrove; R Jones, R OCallaghan; J OFlanaghan, N Cassidy, B Óg Maguire; S Quigley, D Kille, T Corrigan.
LOUTH (SFC v Meath):S Connor; D Byrne, A Hoey, D Finnegan; R Finnegan, L Shevlin, S Fitzpatrick; P Keenan, B Donnelly; D Crilly, D Reid, A Reid; D Maguire, S Lennon, JP Rooney.
