Athenry know-how

Athenry will line out for Sunday's club hurling championship semi-final against Dunloy at Parnell Park with the same 15 players…

Athenry will line out for Sunday's club hurling championship semi-final against Dunloy at Parnell Park with the same 15 players that won the All-Ireland title last March.

Joe Rabbitte was an injury concern before the Connacht final, but he did make an appearance and he now regains his familiar berth at wing forward.

The other change from that line-up sees the return of Brendan Keogh to midfield. Eugene Cloonan, who picked up 09 in the win over St Joseph's last year, is named at full forward.

The absence of Ciaran Whelan and Jason Sherlock from the Dublin football team has forced manager Tom Carr to make a couple of changes for Sunday's NFL tie against Donegal at Ballyshannon.

READ SOME MORE

Enda Sheehy moves from wing forward to midfield to take over from Whelan, and his place in the attack is taken by Ian Robertson. Wayne McCarthy is a direct replacement for Sherlock at corner forward.

Paul Curran continues to be unavailable due to business commitments overseas and Brian Stynes is also taking longer that expected to get over a back injury.

Galway football manager John O'Mahony will make a few alterations in his team to face Tyrone on Sunday, a game which will determine who gets takes top spot in Division 1A.

Definitely out with pneumonia is Tomas Meehan, and it is expected that Kieran Fitzgerald will take over at corner back. Michael Donnellan is also expected to come into the starting line.

"This will definitely be our biggest test in the league so far," said O'Mahony.

Elsewhere, Rory McCarthy is not named in the Wexford team to face Waterford on Sunday, but he is expected to play provided there are no last-minute delays in his travel plans. McCarthy will return from holiday on Sunday morning.

TG4 will provide live coverage of the All-Ireland club hurling championship semi-final between Sixmilebridge and Graigue-Ballycallan on Sunday, starting at 2.20.

ATHENRY (SH v Dunloy): M Crimmins; E Keogh, G Keane, J Feeney; B Higgins, B Feeney, P Hardiman; B Keogh, B Hanley; J Rabbitte, P Higgins, D Moran; C Moran, E Cloonan, D O'Donoghue.

DUBLIN (SF v Donegal): D Byrne; M Cahill, P Christie, C Coggins; S Ryan, J Magee, P Andrews; D Homan, E Sheehy; S Connell, I Robertson, C Moran; D Farrell, V Murphy, W McCarthy.

WEXFORD (SH v Waterford): D Fitzhenry; C Kehoe, D Ruth, D Guiney; L Dunne, D Ryan, S Flood; A Fenlon, R Stafford; M Byrne, P Codd, M Jordan; B Goff, L O'Gorman, G Laffan. Subs: S Murphy, D Stamp, K Furlong, T Kelly, P Finn, J Kenny, P Murphy, M Jacob, C McGrath, A N Other.

WEXFORD (SF v Kildare): O Murphy; C Morris, P Wallace, M Gahan; D Murphy, D Breen, L O'Brien; J Berry, I Wickham; R Barry, M Mahon, T Howlin; P Forde, J Hegarty, M Forde.

SLIGO (SF v Mayo): P Walsh; P Gallagher, M Cosgrove, A N Other; P Doohan, N Clancy, D Durkin; E O'Hara, C O'Meara; D Sloyan, P Taylor, R Brennan; T Brennan, J McPartland, G McGowan.

Ian O'Riordan

Ian O'Riordan

Ian O'Riordan is an Irish Times sports journalist writing on athletics