O'Connell to start against Laois

Gaelic Games News round-upIn what has been the turnaround of the championship to date, Rory O'Connell was named in the Westmeath starting line-up for tomorrow evening's Leinster Football final replay against Laois.

O'Connell had missed out on over six weeks of action due to a three-month ban handed down by the GAC following a red card he received against Offaly on May 23rd, but a High Court interlocutory injunction restrained the GAA from imposing the suspension.

The Athlone club man made a timely appearance in the midfield when introduced before half-time in last week's drawn encounter. As on that day, Gary Dolan is the player to make way.

Despite Mick O'Dwyer's reshuffling of both the Laois defence and attack, Westmeath manager, Páidí Ó Sé has resisted the temptation to make any further changes. Dessie Dolan, Michael Ennis and Derek Heavin have all recovered from minor knocks to take their place in the starting line-up.

In the fourth round qualifier game, both Donegal and Fermanagh have deferred naming their starting 15 ahead of tomorrow's all-Ulster clash in Clones.

Donegal want to give three of their key players - Damian Diver Christy Toye and Kevin Cassidy - as much time as possible to recover from injuries. Left corner back Diver is the main concern after he tore his hamstring in a club game last weekend, while Cassidy is trying to prove his fitness after a long lay off.

"Brian (McEniff) just wants to give the players every opportunity to prove their fitness before announcing the team. He may leave it up to the players themselves to say whethter they are fit enough to play," said county PRO Charlie Cannon. A fitness test will be held for all three tomorrow morning.

Fermanagh are sweating over the availability of four players but were unwilling to name them last night.

Meanwhile, Derry manager Mickey Moran has named the same team that overwhelmed Wexford in round three for their trip to Dr Hyde Park to face Limerick. The only potential change to the side which has rediscovered its form after a poor display against Tyrone earlier in the year was the inclusion of Sean Marty Lockhart, but Moran opted to hold him in reserve.

Lockhart did come on in the latter stages against Wexford at Parnell Park last week but the game was already safe by that stage. His exclusion is due to a leg infection from which heis recovering.

Limerick's Liam Kerins has also selected the same team from last weekend's Munster final replay. This will be Limerick's third outing in 13 days - a fact that has angered the Limerick manager.

The team will only be meeting up tonight for the first time this week to head for a light session on the Roscommon surface.

Elsewhere, an executive meeting of the Meath County Board has decided to put the issue of whether to give the next Meath manager a three-year term to the county delegates at next Monday's general meeting.

Traditionally, Meath football have always nominated a manager for just one term, and Seán Boylan has been the man for the past 22 seasons. However, two extremely disappointing championship displays in successive years have raised questions about whether the county is operating in the most efficient manner.

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

LIMERICK (SF v Derry): S O'Donnell; M O'Riordan, J McCarthy, T Stack; C Mullane, S Lucey, S Lavin; J Stokes, J Quane; M O'Brien, M Gavin, S Kelly; C Fitzgerald, J Galvin, E Keating.

DERRY (SF v Limerick): B Gillis; K McGuckin, N McCusker, G O'Kane; F McEldowney, P McFlynn, P Kelly; F Doherty, Patsy Bradley; J Donaghy, J McBride, C Moran; J Bradley, Paddy Bradley, E Muldoon.