McConnell and Connolly get first starts

Team News: Dublin manager Paul Caffrey has named two debutants for the Leinster football quarter-final tie with Meath in what is expected to be Croke Park's first sell-out this summer.

Ross McConnell is handed the task of trying to bring some balance to the troublesome full-back slot, while St Vincent's Dermot Connolly is rewarded after some impressive National League form. However, Connolly's clubmate Ger Brennan is denied a first championship start as Caffrey stays loyal to a familiar half-back line of Paul Casey, Bryan Cullen and Barry Cahill.

Ciarán Whelan is named at centrefield alongside Darren Magee, but the former Dublin captain is rated doubtful due to a finger injury. The only survivor from the 1995 All-Ireland winning side, Jason Sherlock, is ruled out with a wrist fracture. Should Whelan fail to make it, Shane Ryan will probably move out from centre forward. Meath will select their team today.

The Cork football team shows one change for the Munster semi-final against Tipperary from the side that overcame Limerick, with Paddy O'Shea replacing Alan Quirke after the first-choice goalkeeper sustained a broken collarbone.

Longford and Laois will name teams today. Longford manager Luke Dempsey is awaiting news on full back Diarmuid Masterson (hand fracture) and midfielder Liam Keenan (A/C shoulder joint), while his counterpart, Liam Kearns, is hoping dual player Darren Rooney can recover from a groin strain picked up against the Offaly hurlers.

Despite protestations from Wexford manager Paul Bealin, the Leinster quarter-final against the winner of Sunday's second replay between Louth and Wicklow has been put back to June 17th.

The fixture was initially pencilled in as a curtain-raiser for Dublin v Meath. If Wicklow prevail the fixture will be held in Dr Cullen Park, Carlow, but if Louth win the match goes to Parnell Park, Dublin.

Wicklow's allocation of 4,000 tickets for Croke Park this Sunday have been sold. "The phones never stopped ringing all day with people looking for tickets and, even though the 4,000 tickets are gone, orders are still coming in," said county administrator Michael Murphy. "In my time I have never seen such a demand for tickets for a match in Wicklow as there is this week."

Finally, the GAA hearings committee (CCC) met yesterday to discuss the altercations between the Cork and Clare hurling teams last Sunday. A public statement on the issue will follow later today.

DUBLIN(SFC v Meath): S Cluxton; D Henry, B McConnell, P Griffin; P Casey, B Cullen, B Cahill; C Whelan, D Magee; C Moran, S Ryan, D Connolly; A Brogan, C Keaney, T Quinn.

CORK(SFC v Tipperary): P O'Shea; M Shields, G Canty, C O'Connor; N O'Leary, G Spillane, A Lynch; D Kavanagh, N Murphy; C McCarthy, P O'Neill, K McMahon; J Masters, M Cussen, D O'Connor.

WATERFORD(SFC v Kerry): T Wall; J Walsh, T O'Gorman, S Briggs; J Phelan, E Rockett, P Ogle; M Ahearne, G Hurney; H Hurney, G Power; W Hennessy, A Hubbard, B Wall, L Ó Lionain.