Dublin confident for Parnell Park

The Dublin County Board are confident there will be no problems with Parnell Park for Sunday's National Football League game against Donegal. With the redevelopment work continuing at Croke Park the board can't provide an alternative venue to Parnell Park as requested by the GAA, but the venue is currently playable unless there is further deterioration in the weather before the weekend.

The 16 county boards which host league games this Sunday have received written notification from the GAA informing them that alternative venues should be in place should the first-choice pitches be unplayable. There were similar instructions sent out last week but with the exception of the matches in Armagh and Down no alternative venues were used.

"Right now Parnell Park is grand," said Dublin secretary John Costello yesterday. "The pitch hasn't been used much in recent months and there shouldn't be any problems with it for Sunday. At the moment there isn't another home venue that could accommodate the sort of attendance that Sunday's game will attract. Croke Park is obviously ruled out but we are confident Parnell Park will be able to host the game as planned."

Other counties have found it easier to arrange alternative venues. "Well there won't be any problem in Cork anyway," said county PRO Pat Horgan yesterday. "Páirc Uí Chaoimh hasn't been used for months and it's perfectly playable at the moment. There would also be a number of alternatives available if necessary, starting with Páirc Uí Rinn."

Last weekend, only Armagh and Down were able to switch (to Carrickcruppin and Ballykinlar, respectively) when the first-choice venues were declared unplayable - resulting in 10 of the 16 games being postponed.

Cork, meanwhile, have decided to go with the same team to play Offaly as was selected to play Westmeath last Sunday - which means Larry Tompkins will again have the services of the Nemo Rangers players. But that is unlikely to be the case when they eventually meet Westmeath on the weekend of February 23rd-24th.

Nemo are due to play the following Saturday in the All-Ireland club football semi-final against Connacht champions Charlestown. Westmeath, in contrast, are likely to have some of their injured forwards back in action by then.

Dublin are also due to go with the same team for their meeting with Donegal as was selected to play Offaly last Sunday. Colin Moran is still ruled out of Tommy Lyons' plans because of a back injury. Donegal have named the team which they selected for last Sunday's game against Galway.

Elsewhere, Peter Canavan will lead Tyrone for their visit to Ballinsloe to play All-Ireland champions Galway. The former All Star forward begins his second stint as county captain, having held the position when Tyrone reached the All-Ireland final in 1995.

Seán Teague, who led Tyrone to the Ulster title last season, swaps roles with Canavan by taking on the duties of vice-captain. Tyrone will, however, be without wing back Declan McCrossan, who is on honeymoon.

Kerry make one change for their game against Leitrim in Carrick-on-Shannon. Donal Daly returns to midfield replacing William Kirby who was injured in the win over Wicklow last Sunday. Declan Quill and Sean McGinley keep their places in attack.

Wicklow will be missing defender Brendan Daly for their home game against Armagh. He suffered a suspected broken jaw in Sunday's loss to Kerry.

The weekend of February 23-24th is set to cause headaches for the GAA. The postponed game between Longford and Carlow at Pearse Park will have to find a new venue if it is to go ahead that Sunday as the All-Ireland club semi-final between Rathnew and Ballinderry has been set for that venue on the same day.