Team check: Fennin fit for Kildare

Kildare SF

There are no great surprises in the Kildare team to face Louth at Croke Park on Sunday. Both Tadgh Fennin and John Doyle will make their championship debuts at full forward and centre forward, respectively, but both players had been well tested in the league.

Fennin has been suffering from a broken finger recently but he was deemed fit to play and Karl O'Dwyer has also recovered from the thigh injury which kept him out of the latter stages of the league and he starts at left corner forward.

This will be the first competitive game for Anthony Rainbow since his 12-week ban during the league. There are four changes from the side which fell to Offaly last summer, with Ronan Quinn and Padraig Gravin getting starting places along with Fennin and Doyle.

Kildare (SF v Louth): C Byrne; B Lacey, R Quinn, D Maher; J Finn, G Ryan, A Rainbow; M Lynch, W McCreery; E McCormack, J Doyle, D Earley; P Gravin, T Fennin, K O'Dwyer.

Louth SF

Simon Gerard remains the only major injury worry before Louth manager Paddy Clarke announces the team this evening. The half back picked up an ankle injury in the recent challenge game against Dublin but it is hoped he will be fit to start.

Mayo SF

Both Rory Hannick and Trevor Mortimer will be making championship debuts in the Mayo team to face Sligo at Markievicz Park on Sunday. Hannick, the 22-year-old Kilalla clubman, will join the experienced Pat Fallon at midfield while Mortimer, a younger brother of corner back Ken Mortimer, will partner the equally experienced James Horan and Kevin O'Neill in the full forward line.

Elsewhere, there are six changes from the side that lost last year's All-Ireland semi-final to Cork. Back in the starting line-up are Noel Connelly, Fallon and Michael Moyles as well as O'Neill, Hannick and Mortimer. Ruled out through injury was regular centre back James Nallen while David Brady was ruled out though suspension.

Mayo (SF v Sligo): P Burke; K Mortimer, K Cahill, G Morley; F Costello, A Roche, N Connelly; P Fallon, R Hannick; M Moyles, K McDonald, C McManaman; K O'Neill, J Horan, T Mortimer.

Galway SF

Michael Donnellan has been surprisingly omitted from the Galway team to play New York on Saturday evening. Paul Clancy and Tommy Joyce fill the half forward positions with Ja Fallon lining out in his customary centre forward role. Centre back John Divilly has also been left out with Ray Silke taking his place.

A vacancy has been left at full back as Gary Fahy has been carrying an injury and manager John O'Mahony has given the Kilanin man a couple more days to prove his fitness.

Joe Bergin will be the sole championship debutante at midfield. He was part of last year's All-Ireland minor side and will partner the experienced Sean O Domhnaill at midfield.

Galway (SF v New York): M McNamara; T Meehan, AN Other, R Fahy; D Meehan, R Silke, S Og de Paor; S O Domhnaill, J Bergin; P Clancy, J Fallon, T Joyce; D Savage, P Joyce, N Finnegan.

Donegal SF

Centre back Paddy Campbell is the sole championship debutante in the Donegal team to face Fermanagh on Sunday. The injury to Damien Diver has led to a number of alterations in the defence, while the midfield partnership of Jim McGuinness and Brian McLaughlin will be used for the first time.

John Gildea has recovered from the flu and takes his place at centre forward. Ten players remain from the side that lost to Armagh last summer - including the entire full forward line of Brian Roper, Tony Boyle and Brendan Devenney.

Donegal (SF v Fermanagh): T Blake; M Crossan, R Sweeney, N McGinley; N Hegarty, P Campbell, O Reid; J McGuinness, B McLaughlin; A Sweeney, J Gildea, M Hegarty; B Roper, T Boyle, B Devenney.

Wexford SF

Manager Ger Halligan has delayed announcing the team to face Dublin. The full panel trained last night and there are no injuries to report but the starting 15 won't be revealed until later today.

Dublin SF

The Dublin team to face Wexford will be announced tomorrow evening. The main injury worry continues to be goalkeeper Davy Byrne (groin) although he should be able to play. Likewise, there is a concern over the fitness of defender Paddy Christie (hamstring) as well as minor strains for Declan Darcy, Ciaran Whelan and Brian Stynes.

Clare SH

There are just three changes from the Clare team that fell to Kilkenny in last year's semi-final, with Enda Flannery, Barry Murphy and Eamon Taaffe gaining starting places. Both Flannery and Murphy appeared as substitutes on that occasion.

Clare (SH v Tipperary): D Fitzgerald; B Quinn, B Lohan (capt), F Lohan; L Doyle, S McMahon, A Daly; O Baker, C Lynch; J O'Connor, E Flannery, A Markham; B Murphy, E Taaffe, N Gilligan. Subs: C O'Connor, R Woods, J Reddin, D Forde, G Quinn, K Ralph, R O'Hara, T Griffin, C Clancy.

Tipperary SH

Manager Nicky English will release his team this evening, and with no new injuries reported, few changes are anticipated from the side which defeated Waterford last Sunday week. Midfielder Andy Moloney has made a full recovery from the eye injury suffered in the league semi-final, but he is still unlikely to return to the starting line-up.

Derry SH

Oliver Collins is definitely out of the team to face Down after suffering a broken jaw in a recent club match. The team will be announced today, and it appears likely that Geoffrey McGonigle will also be ruled out after being called before the disciplinary committee of the county board following reports of abusive language in a club match on May 28th.

Down SH

Veteran defender Paul Coulter looks doubtful after limping off early in last weekend's win over New York. He joins a casualty list that includes his brother Barry and cousin Tom. Down will select tonight.

Under-21 hurling

Offaly (Under-21 HC v Wexford): S O'Connor; D Moran, M O'Hara, W Comerford; S Brown, J O'Meara, P Molloy; D Tanner, D Franks; C Gath, B Murphy, D Murray; D Carney, A Hanrahan, R McRedmond.