GAELIC GAMES NEWS:TYRONE MUST defend their Ulster football title without star forward Stephen O'Neill. The 2005 footballer of the year has failed to recover from a bruised heel sustained in last month's semi-final win over Down, and thus misses out on Sunday's showdown with Monaghan in Clones.
However O’Neill is included among the substitutes if urgently required. His place at full forward goes to Tommy McGuigan, with Seán Cavanagh at centre forward.
Manager Mickey Harte has made three changes in defence: Davy Harte replaces his cousin Peter Harte at right half back; Ryan McMenamin returns to corner back in place of Dermot Carlin; and Cathal McCarron, from county champions Dromore, starts his first championship match, at corner back in place of Martin Swift, who had been suffering from a hamstring problem.
Monaghan manager Séamus McEnaney has delayed announcing his team until later today. The only expected change from the semi-final win over Fermanagh is the return of goalkeeper Shane Duffy, who missed the last two games, through injury.
Duffy’s omission before the quarter-final win over Armagh caused a big stir when McEnaney overlooked substitute goalkeeper Seán Gorman, and handed the net-minding duties to full back Darren Hughes – prompting Gorman to walk off the panel.
Hughes retained the number one jersey in the semi-final win over Fermanagh, but is expected to move back out the field on Sunday, when Duffy returns between the posts.
Sunday represents only the third Tyrone-Monaghan Ulster football final, with Monaghan winning by 1-10 to 0-11 in 1988, while Tyrone won in 2007, 1-15 to 1-13.
Although they’ve been in five of the last 10 Ulster football finals, Tyrone are bidding to retain the title for the first time since 1995-96, while Monaghan last won the crown in 1988.
O’Neill’s absence represents a setback for Tyrone, particularly with Monaghan in such impressive scoring form. They racked up 21 points against Armagh and Fermanagh, conceding an average of just 1-9 – and have already beaten Tyrone this year in the league.
Cork footballers will go to Wexford Park on Sunday for the third round qualifier against Wexford with the same starting 15 that beat Cavan in round two – although manager Conor Counihan has made a few positional switches.
Graham Canty reverts to full back, and Michael Shields goes up to centre back, with John Miskella switching to wing back.
Eoin Cadogan is on hurling duty, while forward Donncha O’Connor is still sidelined with an Achilles tendon injury picked up in the second game against Kerry.
Midfielders Alan O’Connor and Alan Walsh, and forward Colm O’Neill, all of whom were forced off with injures during the Cavan game, were passed fit to line out.
Wexford will announce their team later today, as will Dublin, for their meeting with Armagh in Croke Park on Saturday evening.
Offaly make one change for their qualifier date tomorrow with Down in Tullamore, as wing back and captain Karol Slattery, who suffered a hamstring injury in the second round win over Waterford, is replaced by Paul McConway.
Meanwhile, the draw for the fourth and final round of the All-Ireland football qualifiers will be made live on TV3 on Sunday evening, in Castlebar following their broadcast of the Sligo-Roscommon Connacht football final.
The four beaten provincial finalists – including Louth – will be in one draw drum, with the four winners from this weekend’s round three qualifier games in the other.
First team drawn will again have home advantage for the games which are scheduled for Saturday week, July 24th.
TYRONE(SF v Monaghan): P McConnell; C McCarron, Justin McMahon, R McMenamin; D Harte, C Gormley, P Jordan; C Cavanagh, K Hughes; B Dooher, S Cavanagh, Joe McMahon; M Penrose, T McGuigan, O Mulligan.
CORK(SF v Wexford): A Quirke; R Carey, G Canty, J O'Sullivan; J Miskella, M Shields, P Kissane; A O'Connor, A Walsh; F Goold, P O'Neill, P Kelly; D Goulding, C Sheehan, C O'Neill.
OFFALY(SF v Down): A Mulhall; B Darby, S Brady, S Pender; N Darby, R Brady, P McConway; R Dalton, B Connor; G Guilfoyle, N McNamee, C McManus; K Casey, J Coughlan, A Sullivan.
KILDARE(SFC v Derry): S McCormack; P Kelly, H McGrillen, A Mac Lochlainn; M O'Flaherty, E Bolton, B Flanagan; D Flynn, D Earley; J Kavanagh, P O'Neill, E O'Flaherty; J Doyle, R Sweeney, E Callaghan.
DOWN: (SFC v Offaly): B McVeigh; D Rooney, D Gordon, D Rafferty; D O'Hagan, J Colgan, C Garvey; A Rogers, K King; D Hughes, M Poland, B Coulter; C Maginn, J Clarke, M Clarke.
