GAA: TEAM NEWS:MAYO MANAGER James Horan has made some dramatic changes to the team to face Galway in Sunday's Connacht football semi-final at Castlebar – and who could blame him?
After the desperately narrow escape against London in Ruislip last month there was always going to be a considerable shake-up, and Horan has settled on an entirely new midfield, two new defenders, and also two new forwards – thus making six changes in total.
The midfield selection is most interesting: Aidan O’Shea has been drafted back into the position, and will be joined by brother Séamus, as the two Breaffy players take over from James Kilcullen and Jason Gibbons. Ronan McGarrity is named among the replacements. Keith Higgins returns to his familiar place in the full-back line, replacing Dermot Geraghty, and Trevor Mortimer – who appeared late on in the London game – replaces Chris Barrett at left half back.
Up front, Kevin McLoughlin is preferred to Aidan Campbell, who drops down to the bench, and Cillian O’Connor will start at right corner forward, as Trevor Howley misses out.
Horan’s selection reflects the need for something different after the poor display against London: Mayo were trailing by two points with four minutes remaining, but managed to salvage a drew – before winning out 0-19 to 2-10 after extra-time.
London deserve some credit for making it so difficult on Mayo, but sweeping changes were expected as Mayo look to repeat their 2009 win over Galway in the Connacht final.
Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney has done the opposite and named an unchanged team to face Dublin in Sunday’s Leinster football semi-final at Croke Park – and who could blame him either?
Kildare’s ultimately convincing win over Meath in the quarter-final was never going to prompt many changes, although McGeeney has resisted the option of reintroducing fit-again Daryl Flynn, who has returned to training after a layoff with injury.
Team captain John Doyle is again named at midfield alongside Huge Lynch, although he did shift to full forward at various stages of the Leinster quarter-final.
Laois manager Justin McNulty hasn’t delayed naming a team for Saturday’s first round qualifier against Tipperary in Portlaoise, and the interesting selection there is the reintroduction of forward MJ Tierney. Tierney was originally named to start against Dublin in the quarter-final, but in the end didn’t appear at all – prompting his infamous “disillusioned” tweet that evening.
He is now is named at corner forward alongside Ross Munnelly and Donal Kingston, who is also called up to a starting place. Pádraig Clancy also returns to midfield, with Billy Sheehan among the players to miss out, as does the injured Dáithí Carroll.
Meanwhile Kieran Donaghy returned to Kerry training this week following a knee injury that briefly threatened his participation in the Munster final. However, Paul Galvin is still nursing a hamstring strain and is set to miss out.
Tommy Griffin also returned to training, but with Tomás Ó Sé still suspended, it appears if Kerry lose to Cork, they will have a much stronger panel for the qualifier three weeks later, as Ó Sé, Galvin, Séamus Scanlon and Griffin could all be available then
MAYO (SF v Galway):R Hennelly; T Cunniffe, A Feeney, K Higgins; R Feeney, D Vaughan, T Mortimer; S O'Shea, A O'Shea; K McLoughlin, A Dillon, A Moran; C O'Connor, A Freeman, J Doherty.
KILDARE (SF v Dublin):S Connolly; A MacLochlainn, M Foley, H McGrillen; G White, B Flanagan, E Bolton; J Doyle, H Lynch; M O'Flaherty, E O'Flaherty, E Callaghan; A Smith, T O'Connor, J Kavanagh.
LAOIS (SF v Tipperary):E Culleton; C Healy, K Meaney, P O'Leary; D Strong, S Julian, P McMahon; P Clancy, B Quigley; C Begley, J O'Loughlin, N Donoher; R Munnelly, D Kingston, MJ Tierney.
