An element of controversy has entered Down's preparations for Sunday's Bank of Ireland preliminary round in the Ulster championship. Both Peter Withnell and Ciaran McCabe have been dropped from the panel after failing to attend training over the last two weeks.

Both are prominent players who would have been strong candidates for selection. McCabe scored the celebrated goal that beat Derry in Celtic Park four years ago, a victory in a legendary match that set Down on the road to that year's All-Ireland. Withnell is best remembered for his two goals in the All-Ireland semi-final of 1991 in which Down beat Kerry on the way to a breakthrough All-Ireland.

"Peter Withnell and Ciaran McCabe have been excluded," according to county PRO Fintan Mussen. "Ciaran was injured a fortnight ago and although he has played for his club since, he has not turned up for training. Peter Withnell played in the challenge against Meath in Clonduff on May 3rd but didn't turn up for the preparatory weekend which is part of the team's preparation before every year's championship."

The team selected features only one championship debutant, Shane Mulholland in the left corner of the attack. Among the interesting positional innovations are Conor Deegan's deployment at centre back - not an outlandish move for a player with All-Ireland medals at full back and centrefield - and James McCartan's selection on the 40.

Gerard Colgan is named at wing forward instead of his customary centrefield posting.

Cork and Waterford have named their teams for Sunday's Church & General National Hurling League final in Thurles. Both will line out as expected with only one change between them which sees Dave Bennett return for Waterford at the expense of Derek McGrath who replaced him at left wing forward for the semi-final against Limerick which Bennett missed through injury.

There had been some speculation that McGrath or his replacement during the match, Michael White, who scored the spectacular goal which sealed the county's first league final appearance in 35 years, might retain the place.

Cork's injury problems have as expected receded and both Ger Cunningham and Brian Corcoran line out at goalkeeper and centre back respectively. Coincidentally the pair are the only survivors on the starting 15 of the county's last league success in 1993.

Corcoran was only 19 and captained the side to the title in Thurles after a second-replay victory over Wexford. By a further coincidence, this year's captain, Diarmuid O'Sullivan, is also 19. All this might augur well for Jimmy Barry Murphy's men but, as the veteran Cunningham could testify, the county has experienced great difficulty in following up a league success with a satisfactory championship. In none of the three previous years, 1993, '81 and '80, Cork won the National League did they win a Munster title.

Waterford have a surprisingly small representation of their successful under-age teams of the early 1990s. Three, Brian Feeney, Anthony Kirwan and Paul Flynn, played in the minor All-Ireland final of 1992 whereas Flynn, Mark O'Sullivan, Fergal Hartley and Tony Browne were on the under21 team which won that year's All-Ireland.

Hartley will play against the backdrop of a profound personal bereavement; his brother Colm, who was 29, died last week after a long illness.

Although the county are expected to be supported in numbers, the Paul McGrath soccer testimonial at Lansdowne Road is proving a counter-attraction. According to John Jackson, who brought a busload of juveniles to Thurles for the semi-final, the bus company with which he dealt is now booked up with supporters travelling to Dublin.

Westmeath have made only one change for their Leinster second preliminary round match against Longford on Sunday. John Deehan comes in at right corner forward with Ger Heavin crossing to the left and All-Ireland winning minor Cathal Keane dropping back to the bench.

Shane Colleary whose participation in the victory over Carlow two weeks ago was in doubt until the last moment, is named at left wing forward.

Kilkenny are annoyed at the decision to postpone Saturday's scheduled meeting with Antrim in the National Hurling League Division One relegation play-off. County manager Kevin Fennelly expressed his concern to GAA director general Liam Mulvihill at yesterday's Guinness reception in Dublin Castle.

"Kevin was very annoyed," according to county secretary Pat Dunphy. "It upsets our plans and deprives us of a serious run-out at Parnell Park (where the county face Dublin in the Leinster first round in a fortnight)."

The match was originally scheduled for two weeks ago but was called off because of the condition of the surface. Kilkenny had a domestic programme the following weekend and Antrim had similar commitments this weekend.

Nonetheless the GAC fixed the match for Saturday and informed Kilkenny in writing last Friday. The first Kilkenny knew of its postponement was when people in the county noticed on Aertel that the Leinster minor match between Dublin and Meath was scheduled for the same time and venue as the Kilkenny-Antrim match.

Postponement was confirmed yesterday. With championship commitments ahead for both counties, it is difficult to see when the play-off can be held in the coming weeks.

Cork (SH v Waterford): G Cunningham; F Ryan, J Browne, D O'Sullivan; M Landers, B Corcoran, S O hAilpin; P Ryan, M Daly; S McGrath, F McCormack, K Morrison; S O'Farrell, A Browne, J Deane.

Waterford (SH): B Landers; T Feeney, S Cullinane, M O'Sullivan; S Frampton, F Hartley, B Greene; T Browne, P Queally; D Shanahan, K McGrath, D Bennett; B O'Sullivan, A Kirwan, P Flynn. Subs: P Brenner, B Flannery, O O'Sullivan, R McGrath, G Gater, M White, J Meaney, D McGrath, J O'Connor, G Harris, T Carroll, G Breen, E Burke.

Down (SF v Tyrone): M McVeigh; F Caulfield, B Burns, M Magill; S Poland, C Deegan, P Higgins; G McCartan, Sean Ward; R Carr, J McCartan, G Colgan; Gerard Deegan, M Linden, S Mulholland. Subs: P Travers, M McMurray, E O'Hagan, C Murray, A Quinn, Shane Ward, G Mcmahon, M McAvoy, G Murdock.

Westmeath (SF v Longford): D Ryan; D Brady, D Murphy, J O'Brien; D Healy, C Ryan, A Canning; J Cooney, D Gavin; M Staunton, P Conway, S Colleary; J Deehan, K Lyons, G Heavin.