Roscommon call in Casey for semi-final

DAVID CASEY has been drafted into the Roscommon team for Sunday’s Connacht football semi-final against Leitrim. Casey is named at left half back in place of the injured Mark O’Connell – the sole change from the team that started in the 0-14 to 0-6 win over London in the first round.

Roscommon manager Fergal O’Donnell has again given the main attacking position to Donie Shine, who hit 0-9 against London, and he is flanked by John Rogers and Ger Heneghan. Peter Domican and Cathal Dineen retain the central defensive positions and Michael Finneran and Karol Mannion continue at centre-field.

Leitrim are hopeful forward Declan Maxwell will be able to play some part. Maxwell missed Leitrim’s NFL campaign after a foot operation, but he had the cast removed a month ago and has returned to training, though he may not be fit enough to start the Dr Hyde Park clash.

Manager Mickey Moran is resigned to being without the injured Emlyn Mulligan and Colin Regan, while the tragic death of half forward Philly McGuinness in April has left a void in the half forward line in more ways than one.

In hurling, Tomás Brady and David O’Callaghan are expected to be included in the Dublin team to face Kilkenny for Sunday’s Leinster semi-final in Croke Park.

Both have been carrying hamstring injuries after the quarter-final win over Laois, but should have recovered for Sunday.

Richie Power will be available for Kilkenny despite injuring a finger in training, but definitely out are James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick, who picked up a hamstring injury in a club game, and John Tennyson, who has a groin complaint.

Meanwhile, Down’s Ronan Sexton and Diarmuid Lyng of Wexford have been handed eight- and four-week suspensions respectively by the Central Hearings Committee (CHC).

Sexton was sent off in a senior football challenge game against Laois on May 16th and was reported by the referee for “inflicting injury recklessly by striking with the hand”.

Initially, the Down player decided to request a hearing, but then informed the CHC he would not contest the proposed suspension.

Wexford will be without Lyng for their All-Ireland qualifier phase one game after the referee reported him for “behaving in a way which is dangerous to an opponent”.

Lyng contested that ruling, but the CHC decided his case against the proposed ban was not strong enough, and the suspension stood.

ROSCOMMON (SF v Leitrim): G Clancy; S McDermott, P Domican, S Ormsby; S Purcell, C Dineen, D Casey; M Finneran, K Mannion; D Keenan, P Garvey, C Gregg; J Rogers, D Shine, G Heneghan.