Defending All-Ireland women's football champions Waterford have left one position vacant in their team to face Mayo in Sunday's Bank of Ireland All-Ireland final in Croke Park.

Manager Michael Ryan still has to decide upon a replacement for wing forward Rebecca Hallinan, who will miss the match due to a suspension she is serving arising from her dismissal in the semi-final win against Monaghan.

Hallahan, who moved from centre forward to the right wing for the semi-final in order to make way for Mary O'Donnell, scored three points before being sent off after apparently elbowing Monaghan's Edel Byrne.

"We were astounded at the dismissal and tried to appeal it but without success," says Ryan. "Rebecca has been a colossal player for us and obviously her loss to us will be inestimable."

Waterford are seeking their third back-to-back title of this decade, having already won the championship in 1991, '92, '94, '95 and last September.

They were surprisingly beaten by Monaghan in this year's league final, but put that defeat firmly behind them in the championship semi-final which they won by six points (1-15 to 1-9).

Opponents Mayo add a sense of novelty to a final which had been dominated by Waterford and Monaghan throughout this decade.

The Connacht club qualified for their first final by defeating a fancied Meath team in the semi-final, with Cora Staunton scoring a goal and four points.

Mayo have made one change in personnel from the team that won that semi-final; Martha O'Malley, who replaced Orla Casby during that game, retains her place at Casby's expense. There are a number of positional switches, with Cora Staunton, corner forward against Meath, being handed the number 11 jersey.

Waterford: S Hickey; T White, A Crotty, N Walsh; M Troy, S O'Ryan, J Torpey; M O'Ryan, O Condon; AN Other, M O'Donnell, N Barry; A Wall, C Ryan, G O'Ryan.

Mayo: D Horan; N O'Shea, H Lohan, I Mullarkey; M Heffernan, Y Byrne, N Lally; C Egan, C Heffernan; M Staunton, C Staunton, S Costello; D O'Hora, S Bailey, M O'Malley.