Laois axe Byrne and Fitzgerald

LAOIS have axed full-back Colm Byrne and right-corner forward Ian Fitzgerald for their Leinster SFC final replay with Westmeath at Croke Park on Saturday.

Regular left-corner back Joe Higgins takes over the full-back position with left-half back Paddy McDonald now displaying his wares in the left corner of defence.

Centre-forward Kieran Fitzpatrick moves to left-half back with Michael Lawlor assuming responsibilities as leader of the attack. Brian McDonald goes from left-full forward to right-corner forward. Garry Kavanagh is given at starting position at full-forward, with Colm Parkinson adopting the role of left-corner forward, while right-half forward Ross Munnelly, who went off in the drawn game last weekend with an ankle injury, has been given the green light to start.