Westmeath woes grow as Davitt opts out

The Leinster football champions, Westmeath, have lost the services of defender James Davitt, who joins the long list of panel members absent at present. Davitt informed the management this week he wasn't able to make the commitment for now. Westmeath thus go into Sunday's O'Byrne Cup quarter-final against Longford without 11 players who won the Leinster championship last summer.

Currently absent from last year's panel are Aidan Canning, Brian Morley, Fergal Murray, Fergal Wilson, JP Casey and his brother Russell, James Conroy, Tom Stuart-Trainer, Paul Martin and Colin Whyte. On top of that, three more stars of last summer's run - Paul Conway, Gary Dolan and Damien Healy - are injured. Conway's shoulder injury and Dolan's knee injury means they aren't expected to return until the latter stages of the league.

Dublin will again field their under-21 side for the O'Byrne Cup quarter-final against Louth at Drogheda, which will be played on Saturday to allow the annual Dublin Blue Star challenge games to go ahead on Sunday. Dublin manager Paul Caffrey has named Paddy Christie at centre back for the Blue Stars football challenge at Páirc Barrog, Kilbarrack (2.0).

Tyrone have suffered setbacks ahead of their Dr McKenna Cup meeting with University of Ulster as Enda McGinley has a sprained ankle. Eoin Bradley has pneumonia, thus deferring his intercounty debut after an impressive show in last month's Underdogs' victory over Kerry.

In hurling, meanwhile, the Cork panel this week reassembled ahead of their holiday to New Zealand on Sunday. New manager John Allen will welcome the fact all members of the panel have so far agreed to commit for the season with the exception of midfielder Mickey O'Connell.

Three-time Waterford hurling champions Mount Sion's manager Jim Greene has stepped down and Padraig Fanning takes over.

DUBLIN (SF v Blue Stars) - SCluxton (Parnells); B Cahill (St Brigid's), M Fitzpatrick (Parnells), C Goggins (Ballinteer St John's); PCasey (Lucan Sarsfields), P Christie (Ballymun Kickhams), P Andrews (St Brigid's); S Ryan (Nh Mearnog), D Bastick (Templeogue Synge St); D Henry (Raheny), J McNally (Ballinteer St John's), D Lally (St Brigid's); D Byrne (Round Towers, Clondalkin), R Boyle (Erins Isle), T Quinn (St Vincent's). Subs: R Cosgrove (Kilmacud Crokes), S Connell (Na Fianna), A Brogan (St Oliver Plunkett's/Eoghan Ruadh), B Brogan (St Oliver Plunkett's/Eoghan Ruadh), C Whelan (Raheny), D Homan (Round Towers, Clondalkin), R Fallon (St Vincent's), B Cullen (Skerries Harps), N Cooper (Na Fianna), A Downes (Na Fianna).

DUBLIN SF BLUE STARS - D Nelligan (Kilmacud Crokes); D Kiernan (Ballyboden St Enda's), D Corcoran (St Mary's, Saggart), C Flanagan (Kilmacud Crokes); P Griffin (Kilmacud Crokes), L Óg Ó hEineachain (Kilmacud Crokes), S Shaughnessy (Lucan Sarsfields); JMagee (Kilmacud Crokes), D O'Mahony (Ballyboden St Enda's); P Lawless (Fingallians), D O'Callaghan (St Mark's), M Vaughan (Kilmacud Crokes); G Smith (St Oliver Plunkett's/Eoghan Ruadh), C Keaney (Ballyboden St Enda's), J Sherlock (Na Fianna). Subs: B Murphy (Naomh Barrog), M O'Sullivan (Ballyboden St Enda's), C Murphy (Kilmacud Crokes), B Kennedy (St Mark's), S Cooke (St Mary's, Saggart), M O'Keeffe (Kilmacud Crokes).