Both sides struggling with injury

Both Laois and Mayo will go into Sunday's All-Ireland women's senior football final at Croke Park with the strength of their teams affected by injury.

For Laois, the main concern is key midfielder Mary Casey, who suffered a knee ligament injury in the semi-final victory over Tyrone earlier this month. Manager Seβn Delaney is still hopeful that Casey will play as the county returns to the final for the first time since losing out to Monaghan five years ago.

In the meantime, Delaney has named an unchanged line-up from that which came past Tyrone 3-10 to 2-6. On that occasion, the Leinster champions did most of the damage in the first half, when they scored 2-2 without replay in a magical five-minute period.

Laois actually played in Division Two of the National League this season and their first goal was to win promotion - which they comfortably did. Now, unbeaten for almost a year, they beat a highly regarded Dublin side in the Leinster final before surprising Tyrone and it's clear Mayo won't have it easy defending their title.

Mayo's own problems start with the absence of four of last year's winning side. Niamh Lally and Rachel Barrett stepped away after last year's success, while Yvonne Byrne and team captain Sinead Costelloe are both missing through injury. While Byrne and Costelloe will take their places on the bench, the team shows one change in personnel and several attacking switches.

Mary Garvey loses out to Assumpta Bohan at right corner-back, while Maria Staunton moves from wing-forward to fill Bohan's previous slot at left half-back. Among the forwards reshuffle, Jackie Moran comes into the wing forward position while Denise McDonagh and Marcella Heffernan switch positions, with the latter now lining out at full forward.

Into the side for their first All-Ireland final start comes Edel Biggins, Jackie Moran, Emma Mullin and Denise McDonagh.

MAYO (SF v Laois): D Horan; A Bohan, H Lohan, E Biggins; O Casey, N N∅ ShΘ, M Staunton; C Egan, C Heffernan; J Moran, E Mullin, D McDonagh; D O H≤ra, M Heffernan, C Staunton.

LAOIS (SF v Mayo): T Swayne; M Phelan, P Fogarty, A Connolly; A Casey, C Casey, G Dunne; M Casey, K O'Reilly; S Ramsbottom, T Lawlor, L Brennan; M Keogh, L Carroll, M Kirwin.