Rainbow undergoes fitness test for Kildare

KILDARE have left a vacancy at right half-back on their side while Laois have made one positional change for next Sunday’s Bank of Ireland Leinster SFC final between the midland neighbours at Croke Park.

The brilliant Anthony Rainbow is carrying a dead leg and will undergo a fitness test later in the week. If, as expected, he is given the all-clear to play, he will be don his customary number five shirt. Otherwise, the selected Kildare team is the same as that which sensationally defeated Meath in the semi-final.

The positional change on the Laois team sees Ian Fitzgerald moving to full forward and Damien Delaney switching to the left corner. Elder statesman Hughie Emerson, who was introduced as a sub against Dublin, is again held in reserve as manager Mick O’Dwyer has given a confidence vote to the same 15 who started against the Dubs in their semi-final.

Armagh, who were expected to name their team last night to play Limerick in their All-Ireland qualifier at Dr Hyde Park, Roscommon, next Sunday have postponed selection until tomorrow night.

No reason for the delay was given but it was revealed that the reigning champions have a clean bill of health.

However, they will have to find a replacement for right half-forward Paddy McKeever who is serving a one month suspension after being red-carded in the Dublin game. Most likely to replace McKeever is Barry O’Hagan or Ronan Clarke.

Because of the involvement of three of their brightest stars, Stephen Lucey, Brian Begley and Conor Fitzgerald in tomorrow night’s All-Ireland SHC qualifier against Offaly, the Limerick football selectors will not name their team until later in the week.

Likewise Mayo, who are due to play Leitrim tonight in the Connacht U21 championship at Carrick-on-Shannon, are keeping their powder dry before naming the side to play Fermanagh in their All-Ireland qualifier at Sligo on Saturday.

The Mayo selectors will run their eye over Paul Harte in tonight’s game and if he impresses it is almost certain he will start at midfield in place of the injured Fergal Costello in the senior decider.

Down are keeping their fingers crossed that outstanding midfield player Gregory McCartan will get the all-clear to play in next Sunday’s Ulster final replay with Tyrone at Clones at tonight’s meeting of the GAC.

McCartan was controversially dismissed in the drawn game after throwing the ball at an opponent who had previously struck him with a fist.

Tyrone are likely to name the same starting 15 as the injured Ger Cavalan, Stephen O’Neill and Colin Holmes, all of whom missed out last weekend, are not expected to recover in time.

KILDARE (SF v Laois): E Murphy; B Lacey, D Lyons, A McLoughlin; AN Other, M Wright, C Ennis; A Berry, K Brennan; P Murray, J Doyle, R Sweeney; D McCormack, S McKenzie-Smyth, T Fennin.

LAOIS (SF v Kildare): F Byron; A Fennelly, C Byrne, J Higgins; D Rooney, T Kelly, K Fitzpatrick; P Clancy, N Garvan; R Munnelly, M Lawlor, G Kavanagh; B McDonald, I Fitzgerald, D Delaney.