All-Ireland SFC quarter-final, Dublin v WestmeathDublin make one change for Saturday's All-Ireland quarter-final clash with Westmeath at Croke Park. Fit-again Kevin Bonner returns in place of Declan Lally, who replaced him for the Leinster final against Offaly. No other alterations are necessary.
According to selector David Billings, the team is wearing squad numbers this season and so is likely to revert to the starting line-up three weeks ago, which saw Conal Keaney move to full forward, Jason Sherlock and Alan Brogan switch between corner forward and centre forward and Bonner take up Lally's position on the right wing.
Westmeath meanwhile will announce their team tomorrow night. The main talking points are expected to be whether Paul Bannon or David Duffy partners David O'Shaughnessy, who made his return to the team as a replacement during the qualifier defeat of Galway, at centrefield and whether Joe Fallon is recovered sufficiently from injury. If not, incumbent James Durkan and John Connellan, who replaced him in Salthill, are the likely contenders.
The big question for Mick O'Dwyer and his Laois selectors ahead of Sunday's quarter-final against Mayo centred on the full-forward position. Ian Fitzgerald started in the comfortable qualifier win over Offaly but was replaced during the match.
He reverts to the bench for the weekend with long-standing centrefielder Noel Garvan - who has struggled in his customary position this season and was replaced by Pádraig Clancy, now recovered from injury, during the Offaly match - taking over at number 14. Garvan has little experience on the edge of the square but was played there during last weekend's practice match.
Manager O'Dwyer is said in the county to be angry over his sideline ban, for alleged infractions during the Offaly match, and is expected to exhaust the appeals process - including the Disputes Resolution Authority.
Clare hurlers make just one positional switch for Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final against Kilkenny at Croke Park. Tony Griffin and Derek Quinn are named at right and left corner forward respectively in the only change from the side that beat Wexford in the quarter-final.
Meanwhile Tipperary face Cork in the Munster under-21 hurling final in Thurles this evening. It will be the fourth successive meeting of the counties at this stage of the championship, Tipp having won in 2003 and 2004 and Cork being the defending champions.
When the teams met in the 2003 minor final Tipperary were narrow winners, largely thanks to two critical first-half goals scored by Shane Long, now on the books of English premiership club Reading, whereas the Cork team featured Aisake Ó hAilpín, who also pursued a professional career - in his case along with brother Setanta in Melbourne at AFL club Carlton.
Kildare manager John Crofton has been confirmed in his position for next season. Despite having been appointed for two years, Crofton appeared pessimistic about his chances of serving out his term in the wake of the qualifier defeat by Derry last month. But the county board have given his management the go-ahead for the agreed period at least.
DUBLIN (SF v Westmeath): S Cluxton; D Henry, B Cahill, P Griffin; P Casey, B Cullen, C Goggins; C Whelan, S Ryan; C Keaney, A Brogan, R Cosgrove; J Sherlock, K Bonner, T Quinn.
CLARE (SH v Kilkenny): D Fitzgerald; G O'Grady, B Lohan, F Lohan; B O'Connell, S McMahon (capt.), G Quinn; D McMahon, T Carmody, N Gilligan; T Griffin, A Markham, D Quinn.
LAOIS (SF v Mayo): F Byron; A Fennelly, D Rooney, J Higgins; P McDonald, T Kelly, P McMahon; B Quigley, P Clancy; B McCormack, C Conway, R Munnelly; B Sheehan, N Garvan, B McDonald.
