Opportunity knocks for O'Rourke

Armagh last night announced one change in their team to face Down in their eagerly-anticipated Ulster football final in Clones this Sunday.

As expected, Cathal O'Rouke comes in for injured corner forward Alan O'Neill, who went off after just 13 minutes in the semi-final against Derry after sustaining a neck injury. With O'Neill out for the rest of the season, O'Rourke, who made his championship debut back in 1991, takes over in the right corner, the position where O'Neill lined out in the semi-final.

Diarmuid Marsden, the man who scored the injury-time point to secure the Armagh win in the semifinal after his move to full forward, now starts in that position. Joint managers Brian Canavan and Brian McAlinden have otherwise kept faith with the team that beat Derry to set up their first provincial final appearance since 1990.

It also means that the highly experienced John Rafferty retains his place at left half forward despite being substituted by Tony McEntee nine minutes into the second half of the semi-final in Clones three weeks back.

Down manager Pete McGrath has also made just one change from the team that crushed rivals Tyrone in the semi-final at Casement Park and brought the county back to the Ulster final after a two-year absence.

Padraig Matthews is named at left corner back, the position he took over from the injured Ciaran Byrne after just 30 minutes of the semi-final. Byrne has failed to recover from his hamstring injury and that gives the Clonduff defender the first championship start of his career.

Ross Carr will also swap wings with Gerard Deegan, while Sean Ward moves from the half back line to the full back position.

McGrath's selection means that Gregory McCartan won't be returning to midfield despite his speedy recovery from a cruciate knee ligament injury. Captain James McCartan was also a possible switch into the forwards, but he continues to be hampered by a back injury.

Ciaran McCabe, who played such an important role when scoring 2-3 in the semi-final, is again named at full forward, while Shane Mullholland, who also picked up a couple of impressive points that day, stays in his normal spot in the halfback line.

Dublin and Meath, meanwhile, are expected to announce their team for Sunday's Leinster final at Croke Park tomorrow. It's looking increasingly unlikely that Tommy Dowd will play a full role in Meath's attack due to his chronic back injury, but given some of the miraculous recoveries this season, he can't be completely discounted. Neither can Paul Curran, the only real injury worry in the Dublin squad, as he hopes to come back from a broken collar bone.

It was confirmed yesterday that 4,000 seats will be available at the Canal End for Sunday's Leinster football final between Dublin and Meath and for the All-Ireland hurling quarter-final replay between Clare and Galway on Monday.