WESTMEATH MIDFIELDER Martin Flanagan has just failed in his bid for fitness ahead of Sunday's Leinster football semi-final against Dublin. His place in the middle goes to David Duffy, who replaced him in the quarter-final win over Offaly.
The other change sees Dermot Bannon come in at corner forward in place of Alan Mangan, a switch that was also made during the Offaly match.
Flanagan is a big loss. His form this season has been consistently good but he is deemed fit enough to take his place on the bench and the likelihood is he will make an appearance possibly from an early stage. Dublin have reason to remember Flanagan from the Division Two final last April where he was a major influence on Tomás Ó Flatharta's team winning the title.
Bannon coincidentally also starred in that decider and kicked three points from play. He was unlucky to lose his place for the championship when having to withdraw with a stomach upset just before the first-round match with Longford.
Armagh, meanwhile, have named an unchanged side for Sunday's Ulster football semi-final against Down. Manager Peter McDonnell has stuck with the team that had a comfortable win over Cavan in the quarter-final the weekend before last. This means Aaron Kernan and Charlie Vernon keep their starting positions from that match for which they were selected in reverse, at wing forward and wing back respectively.
Down have also made no changes. This means the three players sprung before the epic quarter-final replay win against champions Tyrone retain their places in the starting 15: Dan McCartan, Paul Murphy and Ambrose Rodgers all start.
In Kerry Darragh Ó Sé's groin injury looks likely to clear in time for him to face Cork in the Munster final on Sunday week. The All-Ireland centrefielder was replaced just 10 minutes into last Monday night's challenge match against Meath in Templemore but the substitution was precautionary.
Ó Sé didn't train on Wednesday night but will be ready to resume tomorrow. Other Kerry players, who either picked up minor knocks or did not start against Clare are all back in full training. Killian Young, Kieran Donaghy, Colm Cooper (knee), Séamus Scanlon and Bryan Sheehan are all in contention for the upcoming match with Cork.
Manager Pat O'Shea will be relieved to limit the damage caused by the suspension of Paul Galvin and the knee injury to Declan O'Sullivan.
Finally the GAA has announced for all All-Ireland qualifier matches, children aged up to 16 will be admitted for free if accompanied by an adult.
The ESB has announced it is to undertake a major native ash-tree planting initiative to assist the future supply of hurleys. An added benefit of the programme is the carbon-reduction achieved by the growth of the trees.
This new programme was announced at the launch yesterday in Croke Park of the 2008 ESB minor football and hurling championships' sponsorship.
Under the new initiative, 20,000 ash trees will be planted along the Liffey Forest near Blessington Lakes by the end of 2010. A further phase of planting will begin at that point. Approximately 75 per cent of the planted trees should yield between six and eight hurleys each after a growing period of approximately 25 to 30 years. At present Ireland imports 60 per cent of the ash required to meet hurlers' annual needs.
GAA president Nickey Brennan and director general Pauric Duffy are set to meet with Aussie Rules agent Ricky Nixon "out of courtesy" next week, in order to pinpoint the Australians plans in relation to the recruitment of GAA players for Aussie Rules.
It was reported this week Nixon's company Flying Start Management are creating a draft-like system for Aussie Rules clubs interested in investing in GAA players, with Nixon stating six clubs have expressed an interest in the scheme to date.
WESTMEATH (SF v Dublin):G Connaughton; F Boyle, K Gavin, J Keane; M Ennis, D Heavin, D Healy; D O'Donoghue, D Duffy; F Wilson, J Smyth, D Harte; D Dolan, Denis Glennon, D Bannon.
ARMAGH (SF v Down):P Hearty; A Mallon, F Bellew, F Moriarty; A Kernan, A O'Rourke, C McKeever; P McGrane, K Toner; C Vernon, S Kernan, M O'Rourke; S McDonnell, R Clarke, P McKeever.
DOWN (SF v Armagh):B McVeigh; L Howard, D McCartan, D Rafferty;A Carr, L Doyle, P Murphy; D Gordon, J Lynch; R Murtagh, A Rodgers, D Hughes; J Clarke, B Coulter, R Sexton.
WESTMEATH (SH v Roscommon):J Greville; G Gavin, P Greville, A price; E Price, D McCormack, B Connaughton; L Smyth, P Clarke; A Mitchell, B Murtagh, P Dowdall; J Shaw, D McNicholas, R Jackson.
DERRY (SH v Kildare):A Magill; R McCloskey, C Quinn, M Craig; S McCullagh, S Henry, C McKeague; O McCloskey, N Holly; S Dodds, SL McGoldrick, C McKenna; P Henry, P McCloskey, G Kelly.
