Team Check: Tipperary give O'Neill a chance

Tipperary SH

Eugene O'Neill is back in the Tipperary attack for Sunday's Munster hurling championship semi-final with Clare. He replaces Liam Cahill at right corner forward in the only change from the team that defeated Waterford last Sunday week.

Cahill's omission will not come as a major surprise. He was taken off by manager Nicky English at half-time in the Waterford game after failing to register a score. For O'Neill, who will join Paul Shelly and Paddy O'Brien in the full-forward line, it's another major opportunity to impress.

John Leahy has again been selected to partner captain Tomas Dunne at midfield. Against Waterford, however, Leahy ended up playing at half forward and may do something similar against Clare.

Tipperary (SH v Clare): B Cummins; P Ormonde, P Maher, M Ryan; J Carroll, D Kennedy, E Corcoran; T Dunne, J Leahy; M O'Leary, D Ryan, B O'Meara; E O'Neill, P Shelly, P O'Brien.

Louth SF

Simon Gerard has passed his fitness test and will line out in the Louth team to face Kildare at Croke Park on Sunday. The half back has recovered from an ankle injury picked up in a recent challenge match.

Manager Paddy Clarke has left a vacancy at left corner back as Brendan Reilly awaits confirmation of his fitness. Aidan O'Neill returns to midfield after missing the Division Two league victory over Offaly.

Making championship debuts along with O'Neill will be Darren Kirwan at full forward, JP Rooney at right corner forward as well as Reilly, should he start. Of the championship side that fell to Dublin last year, there are seven changes in total - goalkeeper Colm Nally, half back Peter McGinnity, half forward Mark Stanfield in addition to O'Neill, Kirwan, Rooney and Reilly.

Of the team that beat Offaly, the only two changes are the return of O'Neill for Seamus O'Hanlon and the starting of Cathal O'Hanlon in an indirect swap for David Reilly.

Louth (SF v Kildare): C Nally; B Phillips, S Melia, AN Other; P McGinnity, A Hoey, S Gerard; A O'Neill, M Farrelly; M Stanfield, N Malone, O McDonnell; JP Rooney, D Kirwan, C O'Hanlon.

Wexford SF

Manager Ger Halligan sticks with the team that drew with Wicklow in the last game of Leinster's roundrobin series, thus securing their meeting with Dublin.

It means the experienced Scott Doran will again line out at corner forward after making a return to the team in recent weeks while Leigh O'Brien, who scored six points against Wicklow, will line out behind him in the half forward line.

Wexford (SF v Dublin): O Murphy; C Morris, S O'Shaughnessy, J Whelan; D Breen, P Wallace, P Forde; J Berry, T Howlin; L O'Brien, M Mahon, N Morris; S Doran, J Hegarty, J Lawlor. Subs: B Molloy, P Kehoe, J Darcy, M Kavanagh, S Hughes, W Carley, J Foley, R Dunphy, AN Other.

Sligo SF

Brendan Phillips and Michael Langan make their championship debuts at left corner back and centre back, respectively, on the Sligo team to play Mayo in the Connacht football championship at Markievicz Park on Sunday. A number of key players, including forward Tommy Brennan, midfielder Con O'Meara and full back Nigel Clancy, are ruled out through injury.

Sligo (SF v Mayo): P Walsh; M Cosgrove, N McGuire, B Phillips; R Keane, M Langan, D Durkin; A O'Hara, P Durcan; S Davey, P Taylor, B Walsh; J McPartland, K Killeen, G McGowan.

Derry SH

With Oliver Collins out injured, Geoffrey McGonigle facing a possible suspension, and Gregory Biggs carrying a knock, Derry manager Kevin McNaughton has been forced to field an under-strength side to face Down in Sunday's Ulster hurling semi-final against Down.

Kieran McKeever will make his hurling championship debut at centre forward and in total there are eight changes from the side that fell to Antrim in last year's Ulster final - including starting roles for midfielder Ronan McCloskey and forwards Shane McCartney and Gary Biggs.

Derry (SH v Down): K Stevenson; E McKeever, C Murray, J Young; D Cassidy, C McEldowney, B Ward; D Doherty, M Conway; R McCloskey, K McKeever, S McCarthy; Gary Biggs, M Collins, J O'Dwyer. Subs: Gregory Biggs, D McCloskey, P McEldowney, AN Other, C McGurk, N Mullan, R O'Hagan, M Quinn, S M Lockhart.

Down SH

There is just one minor alteration in the Down team from that which lined out against New York last weekend. Donal Byers will start at half back and with Stephen Murray moving over to the other wing, Michael Pucci is moved down to the bench. Captain Martin Coulter is once again named among the substitutes as he continues to struggle with injury.

Down (SH v Derry): G Clarke; M Mallon, K Coulter, J Caughey; D Byers, P Coulter, S Murray; P Monan, G Gordan, B Braniff, G Savage, G McGrattan; J McGrattan, P Braniff, N Sands. Subs: S Kelly, K Keating, P Mallon, M Coulter, S Mallon, M Pucci, B Smith, B Coulter, L Clarke.

Antrim SH

Shane Elliot is back between the posts in the team to face London in Sunday's other Ulster semi-final at Casement Park. This will be Elliot's first Antrim appearance since the quarter-final loss to Offaly last summer.

Making their championship debuts will be Emmet O'Hara, Michael McCambridge and Chris Hamill. More notable is the fact that just five of the players who lined out in the Offaly game will start on Sunday - including the experienced Conor Cunning and Gregory O'Kane. Last year's captain, Gary O'Kane, is ruled out after his recent suspension for "dangerous play".

Antrim (SH v London): S Elliot; E O'Hara, C McCambridge, E Colgan; M McCambridge, M Molloy, K Kelly; C Cunning, J Connolly; C Hamill, C McCambridge, A Mort; A Delargy, G O'Kane, J McIntosh. Subs: K McNaughton, J Quinn, C Magee, M O'Neill, M Kettle, K Herron, K Elliot, R Donnelly, S Bailie.

London SH

Seven Tipperary players provide the base of this London side, including all but one of the attack - the exception being full forward Damien Browne of Limerick. Other counties to be represented are Wexford, Laois, Limerick and Cork's sole player Jim Kenneally.

London (SH v Antrim): J Ryan; L Barron, J Kenneally, A Heaney; M Reilly, D Devine, D Ryan; B Crowe, T Lohan; T O'Connor, T Moloney, F Horgan; M O'Mara, D Browne, K McGrath.