Tyrone unchanged for test from the West

TYRONE goalkeeper Pascal McConnell has been passed fit to play in tomorrow’s All-Ireland SFC quarter-final clash with Mayo at Croke Park.

McConnell had specialist dental work carried out on two dislodged teeth this week, but will take his place in goal against the Connacht champions, despite having suffered damage during last week’s clash with Laois.

The All-Ireland champions are unchanged, with Owen Mulligan and Joe McMahon having shaken off dead leg and chest injuries respectively.

Last season’s inspirational team captain Peter Canavan remains on the bench but is certain to be drafted into the action if things start to go wrong for the reigning champions.

Fermanagh have made one change on their side for their quarter-final game with Armagh, also at Croke Park tomorrow.

Peter Sherry, who was introduced as a substitute during the qualifying games against Meath, Cork and Donegal, is given a starting position on this occasion. He comes in at left half-back to the exclusion of Declan O’Reilly.

Meanwhile, the Waterford team to play Leitrim in the All-Ireland junior football final replay at Birr tomorrow afternoon shows one change in personnel and a number of positional switches from the side that surrendered a five-point lead in the closing 10 minutes of last Saturday’s drawn game at Semple Stadium.

Joe Phelan comes in at left half-back for his first championship start, releasing last Saturday’s man of the match, Mattie Kiely, to lead the attack at centre-forward.

The player to lose out is midfielder Sean Dempsey, who was substituted in the drawn game, and in a new midfield pairing, David Kirwan switches from centre-forward to team up with the experienced Michael O’Brien.

Other positional changes see David Ryan going from wing-back to the right corner of defence in a direct swap with Niall Barry, while Kieran Whelan and Ray Hennessy change wings in the half-forward line.

TYRONE (SFC v Mayo): P. McConnell; R. McMenamin, C. Gormley, M McGee; J. McMahon, S. Sweeney, P. Jordan; K. Hughes, S. Cavanagh; B. Dooher, B. McGuigan, G. Cavlan; M. Harte, O. Mulligan, S. O’Neill.

FERMANAGH (SFC v Armagh): N. Tinney; N. Bogue, B. Owens, R. McCluskey; R. Johnston, S. McDermott, P. Sherry; M. McGrath, L. McBarron; E. Maguire, S. Maguire, M. Little; K. O’Reilly, J. Sherry, C. Bradley.

WATERFORD (JF v Leitrim); A.Kirwan (Kilrossanty); D. Ryan (Nire), R. Power (Kilrossanty), M. Byrne (Nire) capt.; N. Barry (John Mitchels), L. Hurney (Ballinacourty), J. Phelan (St. Saviours); D. Kirwan (John Mitchels), M. O’Brien (St. Saviours); K. Whelan (Bonmahon), M. Kiely (Kilrossanty), R. Hennessy (Kill); E. Doherty (St. Saviours), P. Foley (Gaultier), J. Kiely (Kilrossanty).