Gaelic Games

Tyrone make five changes for clash with Mayo

League debuts for Tiernan McCann and Emmet McKenna

Ronan O’Neill, right, seen here in action for UUJ against IT Sligo’s Paul Varley in the Sigerson Cup, will play at left corner forward for Tyrone against Mayo on Sunday. Photograph: Russell Pritchard/Inpho/Presseye
Ronan O’Neill, right, seen here in action for UUJ against IT Sligo’s Paul Varley in the Sigerson Cup, will play at left corner forward for Tyrone against Mayo on Sunday. Photograph: Russell Pritchard/Inpho/Presseye
Thu Feb 06 2014 - 21:44

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte keeps up the blooding of new players with Emmet McKenna and Tiernan McCann the latest to make their league debuts for the county having been named for Sunday's clash with Mayo in Omagh.

It brings to a total of six the players to make their league debuts in the opening two rounds, with McCann coming in at left half back for Ronan McNabb and McKenna lining out at right half forward ahead of Kevin Gallagher.

Harte makes five changes in total from last week's drawn game against Derry for the visit of the beaten All-Ireland finalists. Colm Cavanagh joins Conan Grugan in midfield, with Danny McBride moving to the bench, Peter Hughes is in at centre half forward and Ronan O'Neill takes over from Patrick McNiece at left corner forward. Seán Cavanagh is named on the bench.

Mayo boss James Horan makes just one change to the side that narrowly lost to Kildare in Newbridge, with Jason Gibbons coming in for the injured Tom Parsons in midfield after impressing off the bench last week.

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TYRONE (v Mayo, Omagh, 2.0pm): Niall Morgan; Aidan McCrory, Conor Clarke, Barry Tierney; Ciaran McGinley, Peter Harte, Tiernan McCann; Colm Cavanagh, Conan Grugan; Emmett McKenna, Shay McGuigan, Peter Hughes; Darren McCurry, Mattie Donnelly, Ronan O'Neill. Subs: Michael O'Neill, Dermot Carlin, Seán Cavanagh, Kyle Coney, Mark Donnelly, Connor McAlliskey, Danny McBride, Ryan McKenna, Ronan McNabb, Ronan McNamee, Patrick McNeice.
MAYO: Robert Hennelly; Kevin Keane, Ger Cafferkey, Colm Boyle; Lee Keegan, Shane McHale, Brendan Harrison; Aidan O'Shea, Jason Gibbons; Cathal Carolan, Keith Higgins, Adam Gallagher; Kevin McLoughlin, Andy Moran (capt), Darren Coen.

DERRY (v Kerry, Killarney 1.30pm): Thomas Mallon; Declan Brown, Chrissy McKaigue, Dermot McBride ; Gerard O’Kane, Mark Lynch (capt), Aidan McAlynn; Fergal Doherty, Niall Holly; Sean Leo McGoldrick, James Kielt, Enda Lynn; Kevin Johnston, Emmett McGuckin, Ciaran McGoldrick. Subs: Eoin McNicholl , Oisin Duffy, Carlus McWilliams, Mark Craig, Charlie Kielt, Patsy Bradley, Benny Heron, Cailean O’Boyle, Ciaran McFaul, Aaron Kerrigan, Declan Mullan.

FERMANGH (v Sligo, Brewster Park, Saturday): Chris Snow; John Woods, Tiernan Daly, Marty O’Brien; Declan McCusker, Ryan McCluskey, Barry Mulrone; Richard O’Callaghan, Eoin Donnelly (capt); Che Cullen, Ryan Jones, Lee Cullen; Eamon Maguire, Seán Quigley, Tomás Corrigan.