Team news:Louth have named an unchanged side for the All-Ireland qualifier against Cork in Portlaoise tomorrow. The team that started against Kildare in the unexpected away win last weekend gets a vote of confidence from manager Eamonn McEneaney.
This means that Ronan Carroll remains at centrefield with Martin Farrelly switching to the half forwards, Aaron Hoey moving into the full-forward line with Darren Clarke, who was named in last week's team but didn't start, again missing out.
The county haven't reached an All-Ireland quarter-final since the qualifiers were introduced in 2001. So far though it's been a good response from Louth, who slipped to Division Three of next year's NFL and had a mediocre Leinster campaign, taking three matches to dispose of Wicklow before being beaten by Wexford in the quarter-final.
But since then the team has bounced back with two away wins in the qualifiers series, against Limerick and league semi-finalists Kildare.
Meanwhile Galway footballers have delayed naming their side for tomorrow's other football qualifier against Meath because of injuries to veteran forwards Derek Savage and Ja Fallon as well as centre back Diarmuid Blake. Manager Peter Ford won't reveal his starting line-up until just before throw-in in Portlaoise.
Opponents Meath have also delayed their team announcement, which will take place this evening.
Whereas the team that edged past Fermanagh last week is likely to be much the same, speculation in the county is that wing forward Niall McLoughlin could be under pressure to retain his place.
There was no white smoke from any of the three outstanding hurling quarter-finalists last night.
Neither Galway nor Kilkenny have named and Tipperary remain the only side to have named this week.
Their opponents on Sunday, Wexford, won't be named until the day but former hurling All Star goalkeeper Damien Fitzhenry will make his 165th and possibly final appearance for Wexford in Sunday's All Ireland hurling quarter final against Tipperary.
An All-Ireland medallist in 1996, Fitzhenry (33), will also captain the side after Leinster final skipper Nigel Higgins was dropped from John Meyler's squad after arriving 20 minutes late for a recent training session.
Fitzhenry is far and away Wexford's "most capped" player - with fellow '96 veteran Rory McCarthy trailing behind with just under 120 appearances.
Speculation is mounting that McCarthy will be named at centrefield on Sunday for his first championship appearance of the season. He was overlooked for the Leinster championship outings against Dublin and Kilkenny but Meyler is set to hand the veteran a start in a much-changed team. Meyler will not be announcing his starting line-up until just before throw-in on Sunday but it is expected that he will make a number of alterations.
Declan Ruth looks set to be restored to the centre back position after he was given a torrid time by Henry Shefflin in the Leinster final.
Keith Rossiter is tipped to move from centre back to full back, where Ruth started against Kilkenny. Darren Stamp has been earmarked for a midfield role alongside McCarthy and Diarmuid "Gizzy" Lyng is set to return to his more natural Wexford position at wing back.
Barry Lambert and Stephen Banville are pushing for positions in attack - and Wexford sources have indicated that Mick Jacob and David O'Connor could be the men to lose out. Eoin Quigley, who started at midfield against Kilkenny, will be restored to the half forward line.
LOUTH (SFC v Kildare): S Reynolds; A Page, C Goss, J Neary; J O'Brien M Fanning, P McGinnity; P Keenan, R Carroll; B White, M Farrelly, M Stanfield; A Hoey, S Lennon, C Judge.
