ALL-IRELAND SFC QUARTER FINALS: Dublin manager Tommy Lyons has made just one change to the side that won the Leinster title for Monday's All-Ireland championship against Donegal. Jonny McGee comes in at centre back, replacing Paul Curran, the only survivor from the 1992 All-Ireland final between the two counties.
The switch was generally anticipated after Curran damaged ankle ligaments in training last Saturday. Although Curran's recovery has been swift, it was expected McGee, whose place was compromised by an injury he picked up in the provincial semi-final victory over Meath, would return.
Beyond that, the team runs along expected lines, with Ray Cosgrove, a team-mate of McGee's at Kilmacud Crokes, hoping to extend his phenomenal season at full forward. Cosgrove has found the net in the last two games for Dublin and faces a relatively new Donegal full-back line.
Eamon Doherty replaced Donegal captain and regular full back Mark Crossan when he was ruled out just days before the qualifying game against Meath. With Crossan subsequently ruled for the season, Doherty, who had a solid game against Meath, is retained.
Darren Homan again partners Ciarán Whelan at midfield. Tommy Lyons has identified the enthusiasm with which Whelan has adapted to the midfield role as one of the key successes of his first season.
However, Donegal's blanket midfield policy, with rangy corner forward Paul McGonigle habitually trotting out from that position to bulk up the team's athletic but light midfield partnership, will probably force a positional alteration on the Dublin team.
The likelihood is that Barry Cahill may shadow McGonigle and actually force the Donegal player onto the defensive. That tactic would leave full back Paddy Christie and captain Coman Goggins to pick up Donegal's two-man forward unit of Brendan Devenney and Adrian Sweeney.
Devenney contributed four frees against Meath but failed to score from play and endured a quiet game in the Ulster final. He will be among the players through whom Donegal will seek to profit against Dublin.
All eyes will be on Alan Brogan, Dublin's debut player who has contributed two stunning championship performances. He will be shadowed by Noel McGinley. Dublin's Collie Moran, Shane Ryan and Senan Connell have a physical advantage on their opposition but the corresponding trio from Donegal have been in terrific form.
The counties last met in February in the opening round of the National League at Parnell Park, with Dublin celebrating the beginning of the Lyons' era with a 2-10 to 0-14 victory. Ten of the Dublin players who started that day will line out at Croke Park on Monday while eight of the Donegal players have kept their places.
Meanwhile, the GAA yesterday announced that tickets for the Bank Holiday double header - Mayo and Cork open proceedings - have sold out. The speed of the sale adds substance to Lyons' comments that the Dublin fixture would have filled the stadium in its own right. There are still tickets available for the Sunday quarter-finals between Sligo/Armagh and Galway/Kerry.
Sligo's Neil Carew, who came on for Mark Cosgrove in the first half of against Tyrone, retains his place at right corner back to play Armagh on Sunday. John McPartland moves from full forward to right forward with Mark Brehony switching from the half forward line to full forward.
DUBLIN (v Donegal): S Cluxton; B Cahill, P Christie, C Goggins; P Casey, J Magee, P Andrews; C Whelan, D Homan; C Moran, S Ryan, S Connell; A Brogan, R Cosgrove, J McNally
MAYO (v Cork): P Burke; C Mortimer, D Heaney, G Ruane; M Davitt, N Connelly, J Nallen; A Higgins, D Tiernan; D Brady, C McManamon, T Mortimer, J Gill; S Carolan, B Maloney, J Horan.
SLIGO (v Armagh): J Curran; N Carew, N Clancy, P Naughton; N McGuire, B Phillips, D Durkin; P Durcan, E O'Hara; J McPartland, K Quinn, D McGarty; D Sloyan, M Brehony, G McGowan.
KERRY (v Galway): D O'Keeffe; M Ó Sé, S Moynihan, M McCarthy; T Ó Sé, E Fitzmaurice, J Sheehan; D Ó Sé (Capt), D Daly; S O'Sullivan, E Brosnan, L Hassett; MF Russell, D Ó Cinnéide, C Cooper.
