Galway forced to change

Team news: Galway have been forced into changes ahead of Sunday's Connacht football semi-final against Mayo in Castlebar

Team news: Galway have been forced into changes ahead of Sunday's Connacht football semi-final against Mayo in Castlebar. Four of the side that routed London in the last round have had to be replaced by manager John O'Mahony.

Captain Seán de Paor is ruled out for the rest of the season with a torn cruciate ligament in his knee.

His place goes to Caltra's Tomás Meehan who won an All-Ireland medal at corner back in 1998 and a club medal with Caltra at centrefield last March.

Michael Comer comes in at right corner back in place of Clive Monaghan who has a hand injury. Comer was dropped for the London match after an uncomfortable NFL final against Kerry last month.

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In attack Matthew Clancy comes in on the left wing as replacement for John Devane, who is suffering from a hamstring injury, while Derek Savage returns at right corner forward in place of Nicky Joyce, who has picked up an Achilles tendon injury.

Better news on the injury front is the clean bill of health for former captains Kevin Walsh and Gary Fahey.

Walsh broke his toe twice during the National League but has recently played for his club and may well make an appearance at some stage this weekend. Fahey, All-Ireland winning captain in 2001, has recovered from a minor injury picked up with his club.

Meanwhile Kerry manager Jack O'Connor is still none the wiser about the ankle injury picked up by Séamus Moynihan in a club match on Sunday.

"We know that he's done serious damage to ankle ligaments," said O'Connor, "but we can't be sure of the extent because the swelling hasn't gone down enough to take a scan.

"We'll know in the next few days but he's very doubtful for the Munster final although we'll give him every chance to recover."

GAA.ie has now sold out its allocation of tickets for the Munster hurling final next Sunday.

Tickets are on now sale for the following matches: Saturday's All-Ireland qualifier between Tipperary and Limerick at 7.30pm in the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick and Sunday's Leinster football semi-final between Wexford and Westmeath at 3.30pm in Croke Park.

GALWAY: B Donoghue; M Comer, K Fitzgerald, B Dooney; D Meehan, P Clancy, T Meehan; J Bergin, S Ó Dómhnaill; M Meehan, M Donnellan, M Clancy; D Savage, P Joyce, T Joyce.

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Seán Moran

Seán Moran

Seán Moran is GAA Correspondent of The Irish Times