O’Reilly and Crawford back as Meath bid for win over Dubs

Michael Ellard

O’Reilly takes over his customary right full-back position with Crawford named at midfield. The five new starters are full back Kevin O’Reilly, left half back Cathal King, centre-forward Paddy Byrne, left half forward Stephen Brae and left corner forward Brian Farrell.

Altogether there are five changes from the side that lost to Monaghan in the Division 2 National League final and a total of eight changes from the team defeated by Fermanagh in last season’s championship qualifiers.

Darren Fay, who started the Monaghan game at midfield now fills the centre half back position, while, with Trevor Giles ruled out Graham Geraghty switches to full forward.

Full back Niall McCusker has been ruled out of the Derry team to face Monaghan in the Ulster championship at Clones on Sunday because of injury and Kevin McCloy fills in.

Sean Marty Lockhart returns to the side after injury and will hold down the centre half back berth.

Fergal Doherty, who missed the concluding games in the League also because of injury returns at midfield with the evergreen Johnny McBride switching to right half forward. MEATH (SFC v Dublin): D. Gallagher; M. O’Reilly, K. O’Reilly, N. McKeigue; D. Crimmons, D. Fay, C. King; N. Crawford, A. Moyles; N. Kelly, P. Byrne, S. Brae; J. Sheridan, G. Geraghty. B Farrell.

DERRY (SFC v Monaghan): B. Gillis; K. McGuckin, K. McCloy, G. O’Kane; P. Wilson, S. M. Lockhart, P. Kelly; F. Doherty, Patsy Bradley; J. McBride, M. Lynch, P. Murphy; Paul Bradley, Paddy Bradley, E. Muldoon.

CAVAN (SFC v Antrim): J. O’Reilly; M. Hannon, D. Rabbitt, K. Fannin; K. Crotty, P. Reilly, M. Cahill; D. McCabe, P. McKenna; M. McKeever, N. Walsh, F. O’Reilly; J. O’Reilly, J. Tierney, L. Reilly.

DOWN (SHC v Antrim): G. Clarke; L. Clarke, S. Murray, P. Hughes; G. Clarke, G. Savage, S. Wilson; G. Adair, A. Savage; B. McCourty, P. Monan, E. Clarke; M. Coulter, G. Johnson, S. Clarke.

Adare 2-16 Tournafulla 0-8

ADARE had all the ground work done in the opening half of this first round Limerick Senior Hurling championship game at Newcastlewest last evening when goals from Andrew O’Connell and Brian Foley fired them 2-8 to 0-3 in front at the interval.

Tournafulla were unable to make any real headway when playing with the breeze and it was left to Neil Curtin with five pointed frees to save face for them.

Scorers, Adare: A O’Connell 1-1, B Foley 1-0, D Sheehan 0-5, B Sexton, C Fitzgerald, M Noonan 0-3 each, S O’Connell 0-1.

Tournafulla: N Curtin 0-5, B Mulcahy, JP Sheehan, P Keogh 0-1 each.