Team NewsCork football manager Billy Morgan has made three significant changes ahead of Saturday's third round qualifier against Fermanagh at Croke Park.
The tried and tested Brendan Jer O'Sullivan, Micheál Ó Croinín and Dermot Hurley have all been cast aside as Morgan revamps his side for the unpredictable challenge of Fermanagh. The Ulster team will select today.
With Hurley gone from midfield, Graham Canty has been moved in with Seán Levis slipping back into the centre back role formerly held by Canty. Micheál O'Sullivan also comes into the midfield, while Ciarán O'Sullivan is named at centre forward at the expense of Brendan Jer O'Sullivan.
Their only absentee, and a costly one at that, is Anthony Lynch, who has failed to recover from a fractured collarbone.
John O'Mahony has also made three changes to the Galway line-up for their clash with Tyrone, also on the Croke Park bill this Saturday. In comes Damien Burke at wing back, Seán Ó Dómhnaill at midfield and John Devane at half forward as the Tribesmen attempt to freshen up their side after the lacklustre display against Louth a fortnight ago.
Tommy Joyce and Barry Dooney are left out, while veteran midfielder Kevin Walsh pulled a hamstring in training earlier in the week. Tomás Meehan drops back to corner back while brother Micheál is moved from wing to corner forward as O'Mahony reshuffles the deck with the All-Ireland winners in mind. Tyrone will select tonight.
Wexford have been hit with an injury crisis ahead of the third football qualifier to be played in Dublin this Saturday, albeit at Parnell Park (7 p.m.), against Derry.
In-form full forward Darren Browne is definitely ruled out after damaging his cruciate ligament, while Colm Morris is also struggling to make it with a less serious knee complaint. It's particularly hard luck for Browne, who only recently nailed down a place in the starting 15.
"It's terrible for Darren considering he worked so hard and was effective when he came on against Westmeath and again against Offaly," said manager Pat Roe.
The wear and tear of Wexford's best championship run for almost a generation is beginning to take its toll on the panel. Philip Wallace and John Cooper are also doubts, and Darren Foran is definitely out after breaking a finger in training. Due to this, the management deferred releasing the team until this morning as their war council went on late into the night.
"Yeah, it's just a case of the wear and tear of the campaign. The injuries are just being picked up due to the sheer volume of games we have had to play," added Roe.
Their opponents, Derry, have a full complement of their team, except their greatest asset, Seán Marty-Lockhart, who is still trying to recover from a leg infection. Manager Mickey Moran is willing to give his star defender as much time as possible to recover.
"Besides Seán, we have a full complement," said Moran. "I'm not going to make any snap decisions on my selection."
Moran is not over the moon about the late throw-in and 300-mile round trip to Dublin for the game, but is now more concerned with getting preparations correct.
"We played Wexford last year in the qualifier and in the National League so we know about them. However, they have been very impressive this year and have improved immensely. They ran Westmeath very close and showed a tremendous work rate especially against Offaly."
In the crunch hurling qualifier, Offaly have named the same side that lost the Leinster final to Wexford, although Brian Whelahan is considered a major doubt after departing from the field early in that game with an injured hamstring.
Clare are finalising their side and a final decision on whether Gerry Quinn will be included in Anthony Daly's plans will not be revealed until this evening. The 23-year-old Corofin clubman is one of the most highly rated players in the game but was recently banished from the panel for disciplinary reasons.
The Laois minors have named an unchanged side from the one that swept past Dublin in the Leinster semi-finals ahead of the decider against Kildare on Sunday.
GALWAY (SF v Tyrone): B O'Donoghue; K Fitzgerald, G Fahy, T Meehan; D Meehan, P Clancy, D Burke; J Bergin, S O Dómhnaill; M Clancy, M Donnellan, J Devane; M Meehan, P Joyce, D Savage.
CORK (SF v Fermanagh): K O'Dwyer; S O'Brien, D Kavanagh, G Murphy; E Sexton, S Levis, M O Croinín; M O'Sullivan, G Canty; N Murphy, C O'Sullivan, C McCarthy; C Crowley (capt), C Corkery, A Cronin.
OFFALY (SH v Clare): B Mullins; B Teehan, G Oakley, D Franks; B Whelahan, N Claffey, C Cassidy; M Cordial, B Whelahan; R Hanniffy, G Hanniffy, J Brady; B Carroll, B Murphy, D Murray.
LAOIS (MF v Kildare): E Culliton; C Healy, M Timmons, B Meredith; K Smith, C Begley, N Donagher; B Quigley, C Rogers; E Butler, I Fleming, S O'Leary; M Tierney, D Brennan, D Conway.
WEXFORD: J Cooper; C Morris, P Wallace, N Murphy; D Breen, D Murphy, L O'Brien; P Colfer, W Carley; J Hudson, P Forde, D Fogarty; J Lawlor, R Barry, M Forde.
