Galway name Donnellan and Fallon for Leitrim clash
Donnellan has been selected at centre-back, with Fallon taking over the left half forward berth from Derry O’Brien.
The only other change from the side that beat Roscommon in the last game sees Frankie Donoghue taking over the goalkeeping slot from Alan Keane.
Donnellan has been out of commission since last year’s championship and underwent surgery for a groin injury after Christmas.
He has been shown good form of late, however, at centre back with his club Dunmore and lined out in last weekend’s game against Armagh to mark the official opening of the newly re-vamped Pearse Stadium.
Fallon has also been out of the limelight because of injury but came on as a sub in the Roscommon game.
Leitrim, who face a huge task have included injured centre forward Seamus Quinn on their team sheet.
The most talented player on the Leitrim team Quinn, has been troubled with a back injury and his appearance will be touch and go up to the throw-in.
The complete outsiders have made two changes from the side that started against New York. Colin Regan and Donal Brennan, both of whom came on as substitutes in the New York game are given first preference over Paul McDermot and Dermot Maxwell on this occasion.
Regan will start at left half forward with Brennan operating in the right corner of attack.
Laois will not announce their team to play Offaly in the replay of the Bank of Ireland, Leinster SFC at Tullamore on Monday until the weekend because of injury doubts concerning four of their first team players.
Star corner forward Damien Delaney had a number of teeth extracted yesterday.
Both corner backs Tom Kelly and Joe Higgins are troubled by hamstring injuries, while centre forward Ian Fitzgerald is considered extremely doubtful because of a shoulder injury.
Offaly have deferred selection of their team until tonight in the fervant hope that injured wing back John Kenny will make a dramatic recovery from injury.
Kenny aggravated an old groin injury in last Sunday’s thrilling drawn encounter and is considered to be “very doubtful” for the replay.
Westmeath have left two vacancies at centre back and centre forward on their team to play Meath in the Bank of Ireland, Leinster SFC at Croke Park on Sunday.
Regular centre back Damien Healy is carrying a hamstring injury at present and will undergo a fitness test later in the week. While the centre half forward position is up for grabs between Shane Colleary, Paul Mangan, James Corcoran, Michael Ennis and Paul Conway.
Meanwhile Longford PRO Pat O’Toole last night described news of team manager Denis Connelton’s resignation as “pie in the sky”.
“I was onto the County Board Chairman at 6p.m. after hearing the news and he confirmed he had received nothing official from the manager.
O’Toole admitted Connelton had threatened to resign if last night’s county league fixtures went ahead.
He said the manager was concerned about the injuries picked up by some of his players in last weekend’s championship defeat by Kildare and did not want the club games to go ahead.
However, the County Board decided to go ahead with the league fixtures but made no demands on clubs to field their intercounty fixtures.
“I am here at a match myself right now, where my club Ballymahon, who are county champions are playing, and our four intercounty players have not turned up,” he said.
Martin Williams returns to the Westmeath team for their game with Kerry in the first of the Guinness All-Ireland hurling qualifiers at Nenagh on Saturday.
Williams has been out of action because of suspension and he takes over at centre back from the injured Emmet Dalton. Also missing from the Westmeath line-up are long-term injury victims Darren McCormack, John Brennan and Christo Murtagh.
GALWAY (SF V Leitrim): F. Donoghue; K. Fitzgerald, G. Fahey, R. Fahy; D. Meehan, M. Donnellan, S. og dePaor; K. Walsh, J. Bergin; P. Clancy, M. Clancy, J. Fallon; D. Savage, P. Joyce, M. Meehan.WESTMEATH (SF v Meath): A, Lennon; P. Rouse, D. Davin, F. Murray; B. Morley, A. N. Other, D. Heavin; R. O'Connell, M. Flanagan; F. Wilson, A. N. Other, J. Fallon; J. P. Casey, G. Malone, D. Dolan.
LEITRIM (SF Galway): G. Phelan; M. McGuinness, J. McKeown, P. Reynolds; N. Gilbane, J. Phelan, S. Foley; C. Carroll, S. Canning; M. Duigan, S. Quinn, C. Regan; D. Brennan, F. McBrien, P. McLoughlin.
WESTMEATH (SH v Kerry): B. Conaty; D. Curley, B. Murtagh, B. Williams; V. Bateman, M. Williams, N. Gavin; C. Fanning, P. Dowdall; J. Forbes, J. Shaw, B. Kennedy; D. Carty, A. Mitchell, F. Shaw.
LAOIS (SH v Dublin): J. Lyons; L. Mahon, Pat Cuddy, P. Mahon; C. Cuddy, Paul Cuddy, M. McEvoy; D. Rooney, J. Young; J. Phelan, R. Jones, D. Cuddy; T. Fitzgerald, L. Tynan, D. Culleton.
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