Tyrone recall O’Neill and Dooher for Wexford clash

TEAM captain Brian Dooher and leading scorer Stephen O’Neill have been recalled to the Tyrone team to meet Wexford in the semi final of the Allianz National Football League at Portlaoise on Sunday.

O’Neill has been troubled by a hamstring injury, while Dooher has been out of action for the past four weeks because of a flu virus. Dooher takes over his customary right-half forward position from his stand-in Michael Murphy, while O’Neill replaces the injured Eoin Mulligan.

Manager Mickey Harte has also made two other changes. Conor Gormley comes back in place of Joe McMahon, while Pascal O’Connell takes over in goal from John Devine.

Michael Donnellan has returned to the Galway football squad after his self-imposed league exile. His return has been welcomed by Galway boss Peter Ford as they prepare for the Connacht championship next month.

“Michael made it clear he needed a complete break from football and I told him to come back to me when he was ready,” the manager said yesterday.

Last week it emerged Donnellan was changing clubs in Galway and his smooth transfer from his native Dunmore MacHales to Salthill-Knocknacarra in the city, where he has lived for the past six years, was regarded as a catalyst for his return.

The Tipperary team to play Galway in NHL Division 1A on Sunday shows two changes from the side which lost to Clare in Semple Stadium last weekend. Centre back David Kennedy who sustained a groin injury in that defeat will not start. In a reshuffled defence, Diarmuid Fitzgerald resumes his usual left-half back role with Eamonn Corcoran taking the centre position.

Colin Morrissey also returns to the side having recovered from ankle ligament trouble. He replaces Conor O’Mahoney.

Waterford have rested Tony Browne and Michael Walsh, while Eoin Murphy is unavailable for selection due to work commitments, for Sunday’s Division 1A Hurling League relegation clash with Antrim at Walsh Park.

There is a senior inter-county debut for Stradbally’s Ger Power at left half-back while Eoin McGrath is in at right corner- forward.

The selectors are experimenting in attack with John Mullane in at right half-forward with Dan Shanahan in the centre and captain Eoin Kelly on the left. Andy Moloney, who impressed against Limerick last Sunday, is in at midfield with the returned Dave Bennett who has recovered from a hand injury picked up against Galway.

TJ Ryan has been named at full forward by Limerick for Sunday’s NHL clash with Dublin at Parnell Park, while Ger O’Connell returns between the posts.

TYRONE (SF v Wexford): P. McConnell; R. McMenamin, C. Lawn, S. Sweeney; C. Gormley, G. Devlin, P. Jordan; C. Holmes, S. Cavanagh; B. Dooher, R. Mellon, E. McGingley; M. Coleman, S. O’Neill, M. Penrose.

TIPPERARY (SH v Galway): B. Cummins; P. Curran, P. Maher, H. Moloney; D. Fanning, E. Corcoran, D. Fitzgerald; C. Morrissey, P. Kelly; M. O’Leary, J. Devane, B. Dunne; E. Kelly, M. Webster, P. O’Brien.

LIMERICK (SH v Dublin): G O’Connell; D Reale, S Lucey, M Foley, P O’Dwyer, O Moran, B Geary; P O’Grady, D O’Grady; C Fitzgerald, JP Sheehan, A O’Shaughnessy, D Ryan, TJ Ryan, A O’Connor

KERRY (SH v Offaly): B. Harris; DJ Brennan, A. Healy, M. Cronin; B. Flaherty, C. Harris, A. Keane; E. Sheehy, J. Griffin; I. McCarthy, E. Tuohy, T. Murnane; M. Conway, JM Dooley, J. Egan.

DOWN (SH v Laois): G Clarke; L Clarke, S Murray, P Hughes; G Clarke, G Savage, S Wilson; G Adair, P Monan; J McCusker, P Braniff, B McGourty; M Coulter, G Johnson, S Clarke.

WATERFORD (SH v Antrim): S. Brenner; T. Feeney, F. Hartley, D. Coffey; B. Phelan, J. Murray, G. Power; A. Moloney, D. Bennett; J. Mullane, D. Shanahan, E. Kelly; E. McGrath, S. Prendergast, P. Flynn.

CAVAN (U21 v Down): P. Galligan; G. Collins, P. Cahill, P. O Reilly; 5 A.N. Other, A. Gaynor, D. Sheridan; P. Brady, L. Mulvey; M. McKeever, S. Cole , C. Galligan, D. McInerney, P. Monaghan, S. Johnston

DERRY (SH v Roscommon): K Stevenson, M Kearney, L Óg Hinphey, G Brunton, C Brunton, M Conway , P O’Kane, Gary Biggs (Capt), Gregory Biggs, K Hinphey, R Kennedy, R Convery, S McBride, G McGonigle, F McGuigan.

DERRY (SF v Monaghan): B Gillis, K McGuckin, N McCusker, G O’Kane, P Wilson, P McFlynn, P Kelly, F Doherty, J McBride, G Donaghy, C Gilligan, P Murphy, Paul Bradley, Paddy Bradley, M Lynch.