Tyrone begin to take shape

Tyrone's team for tomorrow evening's floodlit NFL match in Cork indicates that manager Mickey Harte is gradually re-assembling…

Tyrone's team for tomorrow evening's floodlit NFL match in Cork indicates that manager Mickey Harte is gradually re-assembling his strongest side after a plague of long-term injuries.

Footballer of the Year in 2005 Stephen O'Neill lines out for the first time in this year's league while captain Brian Dooher is likely to feature in his first match of the campaign after being named on the bench.

In all Harte makes five changes to the side that beat Fermanagh in the last round. O'Neill and Gerard Cavlan come in for Enda McGinley and Kevin Hughes respectively.

Hughes faces suspension after collecting double yellow cards in successive matches but is likely to appeal last week's dismissal in the McKenna Cup final - an early test for last week's Central Council ruling that such sendings-off couldn't be appealed if confirmed by the match referee.

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Other switches see Cormac McGinley, Michael McGee and Davy Harte come in for Peter Donnelly, Damien McCaul and Brendan Boggs.

All-Ireland champions Kerry make two changes from the team that beat Cork a fortnight ago for the trip to Breffni Park to play Fermanagh.

Pádraig Reidy starts at left corner back in place of Brendan Guiney, who has a chest infection, with Killian Young moving to left wing back.

In attack, Daniel Bohane makes his NFL debut in place of Donnacha Walsh with Eamon Fitzmaurice switching to centre forward.

The Dr Crokes players continue to be excused, as they will be playing the All-Ireland club semi-final replay against Moorefield in Nenagh tomorrow, all of which promises a busy weekend for Pat O'Shea who manages both teams.

Fermanagh make two changes for the match, both in the half backs where Raymond Johnson and Hugh Brady make way for Shane McDermott and Shane Lyons respectively.

A year ago Charlie Mulgrew's side pushed Kerry all the way to a late, narrow and slightly fortuitous victory.

Meanwhile in Division One B, Derry welcome back from injury centrefielder Fergal Doherty, who comes in for Patsy Bradley.

This is one of seven changes to the team that lost to Westmeath, among them regular goalkeeper Barry Gillis, replaced by Shane O'Kane and experienced defenders Kevin McGuckin and Kevin McCloy, who come in for Ruairi Murray and Liam Hinphey.

Westmeath respond to that win by making just one enforced change.

Martin Flanagan is on holidays and his place at centrefield goes to David Duffy, who has recovered from a leg injury.

TYRONE (NFL v Cork): P McConnell; D Carlin, C McGinley, M McGee; D Harte, C Gormley, J McMahon; G Cavlan, S Cavanagh; R Mulgrew, O Mulligan, C Cavanagh; C McCullagh, S O'Neill, R Mellon.

MAYO (NFL v Limerick): K O'Malley; L O'Malley, J Kilcullen, K Higgins; E Devenney, BJ Padden, P Gardiner; R McGarrity, D Brady; K O'Neill, G Brady, A Dillon, A Campbell, T Mortimer, A Moran.

KERRY (NFL v Fermanagh): D Murphy; M Ó Sé, T O'Sullivan, P Reidy; T Ó Sé, A O'Mahony, K Young; D Ó Sé, T Griffin; D Bohane, E Fitzmaurice, B Sheehan; D Quill, K Donaghy, MF Russell. Subs: K Cremin, D Walsh, M Quirke, S Scanlon, R Hussey, M Lyons, P O'Connor, R Ó Flatharta.

FERMANAGH: (NFL v Kerry) B Breen; N Bogue, B Owens, S Goan; S McDermott, S Lyons, P Sherry; M McGrath, J Sherry; M Little, S Doherty, E Maguire; C McElroy, M Murphy, C O'Reilly.

DERRY (NFL v Kildare): S O'Kane; K McGuckin, K McCloy, J Keenan; P Cartin, SM Lockhart, G O'Kane; F O'Doherty, J Conway; G Donaghy, C Gilligan, M Lynch; R Wilkinson, P Bradley, E Muldoon.

WESTMEATH (NFL v Down): G Connaughton; F Boyle, M Ennis, K Gavin; A Rigney, D O'Donoghue, D Heavin; D Healy, D Duffy; F Wilson, D Dolan, J Smyth; A Mangan, P Bannon, Denis Glennon.

CORK: (NFL v Tyrone): P O'Shea; O Sexton, M Shiels, K O'Connor; N O'Leary, G Spillane, A Lynch; D Hurley, D Kavanagh; S O'Brien, N Murphy, K McMahon; J Masters, D O'Connor, K O'Sullivan.

ARMAGH (NFL v Galway): C McKinney; A Mallon, E McNulty, F Moriarty; P McCreesh, C McKeever, T McClelland; G Swift, C Vernon; P Toal, J Lavery, Martin O'Rourke; S McDonnell, P Keenan, Micheál O'Rourke.

TIPPERARY (NFL v Cavan): P Fitzgerald; M O'Brien (c), A Foley, A Morrissey; M Phelan, P King, P Halley; N Curran, M Peters; G Hannigan, H Coughlan, D O'Brien; B Mulvihill, K Mulryan, D Browne.

Seán Moran

Seán Moran

Seán Moran is GAA Correspondent of The Irish Times