Donnellan and Fahey set to return

FULL-BACK Gary Fahey and midfielder Michael Donnellan are expected to be named in the Galway team, due to be announced tonight, for the All-Ireland champions' eagerly awaited quarter-final clash with Kerry at Croke Park on Sunday.

Both Fahey and Donnellan missed last weekend’s challenge game against Sligo because of muscle injuries. However, manager John O’Mahony said yesterday that their withdrawals were merely precautionary measures and he expects them to come through fitness tests tonight.

It will be a major surprise if Galway fail to pass a vote of confidence in the 15 players who started in the Connacht final victory over Sligo.

Armagh are also expected to select their side tonight for their quarter-final tie with Sligo at Croke Park, also on Sunday and the likelihood is that Andrew McCann will replace the injured Kieran Hughes in the left-half-back position.

Ironically, McCann missed out on the Ulster final victory over Donegal because of a hamstring injury. Hughes came in as a direct replacement, but he has since picked up a knee injury in training, and is considered extremely doubtful. Otherwise the Armagh team is likely to be the same that started the Ulster final.

Donegal, who name their team tomorrow , for their quarter-final tilt with Dublin at Croke Park on Monday, are also expected to announce an unchanged side from that which shattered Meath’s aspirations in the final round of the qualifiers, even though Colm Mcfadden and Paddy Campbell are fit again. Both missed the Meath game because of hamstring problems.

Bad news for Mayo, as Alan Roche is almost certain to miss out on Monday’s All-Ireland football championship quarter final game with Cork. He hobbled out of last Saturday night’s clash with Tipperary and it was later diagnosed that he had broken two toes.

The Davitt’s man took over from his captain James Nallan at centre-back for the qualifier against Tipp and was doing well in the pivot position until forced off, with Nallan coming in. Gary Ruane, who was picked to play at corner-back but failed a late fitness test, is back in contention to start, as is Nallan who didn’t begin against Tipp because of an ankle injury he picked up in the previous game against Limerick.

Mayo, who won’t announce their team until after tonight’s Connacht U-21 FC final against Roscommon, may recall Tom Nallan to do a marking job on Colin Corkery.

Two years ago, the Crossmolina man played against the Cork captain in the All-Ireland Club final and did an excellent job. Corkery is in such a rich vein of form this season, that Mayo boss Pat Holmes may be tempted to start Nallan on Monday, now that there is a vacancy in defence due to Roche’s injury.

James Gill is the only senior player on the starting 15 for Mayo’s U-21 team, but it does include senior subs Fintan Ruddy in goal, and Conor Mortimer at right-corner-forward.

Sligo, who won’t announce a team for their quarter-final clash with Armagh on Sunday until tomorrow night, are concerned about the fitness of wing back Pádraig Naughton. He aggravated an ankle injury during the course of last week’s Connacht U-21 FC semi-final against Galway and is considered doubtful.

A likely replacement for him is Padraig Doohan. Goalkeeper James Curran, who missed the U-21 game through injury, is expected to be named on the starting 15 for Sunday.

MAYO (U-21F): F. Ruddy; D. Geraghty, R. Walsh, C. Cafferkey; P. Kelly (capt.), P. Clarke, S. Drake; P. Navin, J. Gill; M. Webb, B. Joe Padden, E. Casey; C. Mortimer, R. Moran, J. Killeen. Subs. D. Padden, J. Brogan, P. Doherty, A. Dillon, P. Harte, F. Hoban, S. Leneghan, C. Leonard, B. Moran, C. Moran, P. Mulligan, D. Munnelly.