Dooher and Cavlan back for Tyrone

PETER CANAVAN is back on the bench, while stand-in captain Brian Dooher and Ger Cavlan earn starting places on the Tyrone team to meet Donegal in the Ulster SFC semi-final at Clones on Sunday.

Out of action since leading the Red Hand to All-Ireland glory last September, the inspirational Canavan is now fit following ankle surgery.

Cavlan was drafted in at half-time against Fermanagh and retains his place at midfield, to the exlusion of Colin Holmes. Brain Dooher was ruled out of the Fermanagh game because of a knee injury. Now fully recovered, he reclaims the right half-forward position with Owen Mulligan moving to left corner forward and Colm McCullagh dropping down to the substitutes panel.

Donegal make two changes from the side that defeated Antrim in the quarter-final. Shane Carr takes over the left half-back position from Kevin Cassidy, who misses out because of a knee injury, while Brian Roper replaces Stephen McDermott at left half-forward.

Roscommon have recalled wing-back David Casey and wing-forward Brian Higgins for Sunday’s Connacht SFC semi final clash with Leitrim at Carrick-on-Shannon.

Casey missed the replay with Sligo last time out after receiving 17 stitches in his forehead during the drawn encounter. He takes over the right half-back berth once again from John Rogers, while Higgins is a direct replacement for Derek Connellan at right half-forward.

Although full-forward Shane McKeigue is reported to be carrying a slight injury, Meath have selected the same team as defeated Wicklow in the last round for Sunday’s Leinster senior football championship showdown with defending champions Laois at Croke Park.

On the hurling front, Westmeath have made two changes from the team which went down to Dublin in the Leinster championship for Sunday’s All-Ireland qualifier against Laois in Croke Park.

Shane McDonnell comes in for Jonathan Forbes at midfield while Barry Kennedy replaces Daniel Carty at right corner-forward.

TYRONE (SFC v Donegal): J. Devine; R. McMenamin, C. Gormley, K. Dourley; J. McMahon, G. Devlin, P. Jordan; G. Cavlan, S. Cavanagh; B. Dooher, B. McGuigan, S. O'Neill; M. Harte, K. Hughes, O. Mulligan.

DONEGAL (SFC v Tyrone): P. Durcan; N. McCreedy, R. Sweeney, D. Diver; E. McGee, B. Monaghan, S. Carr; B. Boyle, B. McLoughlin; C. Toye, M. Hegarty, B. Roper, C. McFadden, A. Sweeney, B. Devanney.

ROSCOMMON (SFC v Leitrim): S. Curran; J. Whyte, M. Ryan, J. Nolan; D. Casey, F. Greehan, P. Noone; S. O'Neill, S. Lohan; B. Higgins, F. Dolan, G. Cox; N. Dineen, K. Mannion, G. Heneghan.

MEATH (SFC v Laois): D. Gallagher; N. McKeigue, D. Fay, M. O'Reilly; P. Reynolds, T. O'Connor, S. MacGabhain; N. Crawford, A. Moyles; N. Kelly, C. McCarthy, T. Giles; E. Kelly, S. McKeigue, D. O'Regan.

WESTMEATH (SH v Laois): M. Broidy; D. Curley, B. Murtagh, P. Greville; O. Devine, C. Murtagh, D. McCormack; S. McDonnell, E. Loughlin; K. Cosgrove, V. Bateman, A. Mitchell; B. Kennedy, J. Shaw, R. Whelan.