Donaghy and Toner get first starts Gaelic Games

Armagh manager Joe Kernan has given full back Brendan Donaghy and midfielder Kieran Toner their first championship starts for Sunday's Ulster quarter-final against NFL champions Donegal.

Donaghy, from the Clonmore club, is a direct replacement for the injured Francie Bellew, while Diarmuid Marsden gets his first championship game in two years at full forward in place of long-term injury victim Ronan Clarke.

Meanwhile, Mick O'Dwyer has named an unchanged Wicklow side for Sunday's Leinster first round replay against Louth at Parnell Park.

O'Dwyer's chief lieutenant and the county's solitary All Star (1990), Kevin O'Brien, refutes the theory that Wicklow's chance for victory is gone after last Sunday's draw at Croke Park and was puzzled by Louth manager Eamon McEneaney's immediate reaction to the drawn game.

"That's what everyone is going to say, but these lads believe in themselves and apply themselves in the same fashion for 70 minutes. They have been performing late in games throughout the season. There is character in this team. I just watched the DVD and, besides a few missed goal chances, I was happy with the performance.

"We are under no illusions that this will be a tall order. People will presume we missed our chance and I even read the Louth manager stating his team played below par and that they will never perform that bad again. That is a funny statement as teams are only able to play to the level the opposition allows them."

A significant doubt remains over the availability of wing back Breandáin Ó hAnnaidh with no decision expected until closer to throw in. Ó hAnnaidh was withdrawn after 47 minutes of the 1-11 to 0-14 tie in Croke Park due to a hamstring problem. Paul Cronin is poised to come in.

"It's more a tightened hamstring than pulled entirely, but Breandáin is based in France during the week so a decision won't be made just yet," explained O'Brien, who also echoed the O'Dwyer complaint about the replay not going back to Croke Park.

"It's an awful pity that it's at Parnell Park as there is a massive scramble for tickets down here. A lot of clubs brought kids up to Croke Park last week but that option doesn't appear viable anymore. We also expect Louth to bring a sizeable support so at least it should be a full house."

The stakes for Wicklow are enhanced as defeat means automatic demotion to the Tommy Murphy Cup, which will dilute even the most die hard supporters' enthusiasm.

"We haven't even mentioned it to the players. The pressure of the championship is enough. No one gave us a chance and no one, outside the camp anyway, really believes we can do it in the replay. We're just hoping the guys can express themselves on Sunday. After that, the result will take care of itself."

Louth named their starting team last night, with wing forward John O'Brien out after rupturing ankle ligaments. On the plus side, his second-minute replacement last Sunday Mark Stanfield had a fine game and will start this weekend.

Meanwhile, Clare hurling manager Tony Considine has named three debutants ahead of the Munster championship quarter-final against Cork in Thurles.

Phillip Brennan will attempt to replace Davy Fitzgerald in goal, while Brendan Bulger must step into the legendary shoes of retired centre back Seanie McMahon. The third fresh face is Kevin Dilleen, who partners Colin Lynch in midfield.

CLARE (SHC v Cork):P Brennan; G O'Grady, B O'Connell, F Lohan; A Markham, B Bulger, G Quinn; C Lynch, K Dilleen; J Clancy, D McMahon, N Gilligan; A Quinn, F Lynch, B Nugent.

WICKLOW (SFC v Louth):B Norman; C Hyland, D Power, A Byrne; B Ó hAnnaidh, D Ó hAnnaidh, JP Dalton; J Stafford, T Walsh; P Earls, L Glynn, P Dalton; T Gill, D Jackman, T Hannon.

LOUTH (SFC v Wicklow):S Reynolds; D Brennan, C Goss, A Page; R Finnegan, P McGinnity (capt), J Carr; P Keenan, R Carroll; C Grimes, M Brennan, M Stanfield; A Hoey, S Lennon, D Clarke.

DERRY (SHC v Down):J McEldowney; S McCullagh, M Conway, R McCloskey; Peter O'Kane, L Hinphey, S Henry; K Hinphey, R Convery; G O'Kane, C Quinn, R Kennedy; G Kelly, D McSorley, SL McGoldrick.

ARMAGH (SFC v Donegal):P Hearty; E McNulty, B Donaghy, A Mallon; A Kernan, K McGeeney, C McKeever; K Toner, P McGrane; P McKeever, S Kernan, M O'Rourke; S McDonnell, D Marsden, O McConville.