Canavan returns to starting line-up

GAELIC GAMES Team news: For the first time in almost two years Peter Canavan is back in the Tyrone starting line-up, named at centre forward for Sunday's Ulster football semi-final against Cavan in Clones.

The All-Ireland winning captain of 2003 made just two appearances last summer - both times as a substitute - as he struggled to recover from the lasting effects of an ankle injury.

Canavan then dropped off the Tyrone panel earlier this year in a last effort to get back to full fitness, and while that prompted major doubts about his future with the county, he made a timely return just before the championship - satisfied with his form for his club Errigal Ciarán.

He then appeared after 51 minutes of Tyrone's quarter-final against Down, and made a immediate and stunning impact, scoring 0-2 and helping to set up the game's defining goal. Now his comeback is complete, with Sunday marking his first championship start since the All-Ireland final two years ago.

Manager Mickey Harte has sprung a few more surprises in his team selection. Seasoned defender Conor Gormley will fill the midfield void left by Colin Holmes, who has been ruled out with a medial ligament injury.

The right wing-back berth is filled by newcomer Davy Harte, while Brendan Donnelly - who appeared last year in the full-back line - will play at right wing forward. Martin Penrose played at centre forward the last day but moves out to the left wing, with Ryan Mellon on the bench.

As expected, Brian McGuigan must be content with a place on the bench having returned from Australia earlier this month, as must captain Brian Dooher who is still hampered with an ankle injury.

Armagh manager Joe Kernan has kept faith with the team that drew with Donegal for tomorrow's Ulster quarter-final replay in Clones.

All-Ireland-winning wing backs Andrew McCann and Aidan O'Rourke were introduced early in the second half of last week's draw in an effort to halt Donegal's increasing dominance, but Kernan is content to give with Paul McCormack and Ciarán McKeever another chance.

Donegal have made one enforced change as midfielder Kevin Cassidy was ruled out after picking up a straight red card with less than half an hour gone the last day.

Into the starting line-up comes Niall McGready, who will start at right wing back. Barry Monaghan moves to midfield, Shane Carr from the wing to centre back and Damien Diver goes to the left wing.

Several teams have finalised their starting line-ups for tomorrow's first round of the AllIreland football qualifiers.

Westmeath manager Páidí Ó Sé has made three changes for the visit to Tipperary from the team that fell to Kildare - Justin McAteer, Donal O'Donoghue and Paul Conway all come in, replacing James Davitt, David Kilmartin and David Glennon.

Opponents Tipperary show one change in their team from that which lost to Kerry, with Cian Maher starting at left half forward in place of the injured Paul Cahill. Captain Declan Browne has been declared fit to start at full forward despite the recent recurrence of a thigh strain.

Carlow will play Offaly at Dr Cullen Park with the same team that pushed Wexford so courageously in the Leinster semi-final.

However, Longford must play Sligo without their influential and burly forward Niall Sheridan, who has failed to recover from a leg injury and is replaced at full forward by Brian Kavanagh.

In hurling, four players will make their championship debuts for Galway tomorrow in the All-Ireland qualifiers against Laois.

Ger Mahon - a member of the victorious Galway minor team last year - has been handed the right wing-back berth. That position became vacant after Galway were forced to move Derek Hardiman to centre back with Liam Hodgins ruled out with a hamstring injury.

Colin Coen will make his debut at corner back while Kevin Hayes has been handed the number 14 shirt in the absence of Eugene Cloonan. The other debutant is former minor star Ger Farragher who will play at left corner forward.

Two other players, full back Shane Kavanagh and midfielder David Collins, will start a championship match for the first time.

TYRONE (SF v Cavan): P McConnell; R McMenamin, C Lawn, S Sweeney; D Harte, G Devlin, P Jordan; C Gormley, S Cavanagh; B Donnelly, P Canavan M Penrose; O Mulligan, S O'Neill, E McGinley.

DONEGAL (SF v Armagh): M Boyle; E McGee, R Sweeney, K Lacy; N McGready, S Carr, D Diver; B Monaghan, N Gallagher; C Toye, M Hegarty, B Roper; C McFadden, A Sweeney, B Devenney.

ARMAGH (SF v Donegal): P Hearty; A Mallon, F Bellow, P McCormack; A Kernan, K McGeeney, C McKeever; J Toal, P McGrane; M O'Rourke, J McEntee, O McConville; S McDonnell, R Clarke, B Mallon.

WESTMEATH (SF v Tipperary): G Connaughton; J McAteer, D O'Donoghue, J Keane; M Ennis, D Healy, P Mulvihill; R O'Connell, D O'Shaughnessy; D Heavin, P Conway, F Wilson; A Mangan, D Glennon. D Dolan.

TIPPERARY (SF v Westmeath): P Fitzgerald; D'Byrne, N Curran, P King; P Morrissey, B Lacey, R Costigan; K Mulryan, F O'Callaghan; G Burke, L England, C Maher; B Hickey, D Browne, B Mulvihill.

LONGFORD (SF v Sligo): D Sheridan; D Brady, D Corcoran, E Ledwith; A O'Connor, C Conefrey, D Reilly; P Barden, L Keenan; T Smullen, K Mulligan, P Dowd; J Martin, B Kavanagh, P Davis.

MONAGHAN (SF v London): S Duffy, D McArdle, J Coyle, C Flanagan, D Freeman, V Corey, G McQuaid, D Clerkin, E Lennon, J McElroy, P Finlay, S McManus, T Freeman, H McElroy, S Gollogly.

CARLOW (SF v Offaly): J Brennan; B Farrell, C McCarthy, P Cashin; J Hayden, C Murphy, R Sinnott; P Walsh, T Walsh; B Carberry, B Walker, P Hickey; S Rea, M Carpenter, M Brennan.

GALWAY (SH v Laois): L Donoghue (capt.); D Joyce, S Kavanagh, C Coen; G Mahon, D Hardiman, O Canning; D Collins, T Regan; R Murray, D Forde, D Tierney; D Hayes, K Hayes, G Farragher.