Westmeath recall O’Shaughnessy, Connellan for Dubs clash

DAVID O’SHAUGHNESSY is in the Westmeath team for tomorrow’s All-Ireland SFC quarter-final against Dublin in Croke Park.

Additionally, John Connellan is also selected — the only changes from the July 29 fourth-round qualifier win over Galway in Pearse Stadium.

O’Shaughnessy, who made a big impression when introduced for David Duffy, is named at midfield alongside Paul Bannon, with Duffy losing out.

Connellan is named at right-corner forward, instead of teenager James Durkan — the player whom he replaced for the second half against Galway.

The Kilkenny minor selectors have made one change from the team that trounced Carlow in the Leinster final for Sunday’s MHC semi-final against Tipperary in Croke Park. Mark Kelly comes in for Ger Fennelly which results in a number of positional switches. James Fitzpatrick moves from midfield to left-corner back with Kelly taking over as Mark Bergin’s partner. PJ Rowe moves from corner back out to left-half back in Fennelly’s place.

Tipperary won’t name their team until the morning of the match because of injuries to full forward Tony Dunne and goalie Johnny Ryan. Coach Liam Sheehy wants to give both players every chance to prove their fitness.

Dual champions Cork dominate the 2006 Waterford Crystal Munster Football and Hurling Stars teams, having seven players picked on the football team and six in hurling. The promotion was introduced two years ago by Muster Chairman Sean Fogarty.

With selection based primarily on form in the Munster championships (with qualifier games taken into consideration), the football team is notable for the inclusion of Waterford’s Gary Hurney at centre forward.

Four Kerry players are named, including full-forward sensation Kieran Donaghy, while there is one player each from Limerick, Clare and Tipperary. Four players, Graham Canty, Darragh Ó Sé, Nicholas Murphy (at left-half forward) and James Masters were also named on the 2005 team.

The hurling team features John Gardiner, Eoin Kelly (Tipperary) and Joe Deane, who were similarly honoured last year. Kelly is one of four players from Tipperary, with Waterford and Clare each having two chosen and Mark Foley the sole Limerick representative. The players will receive trophies at the annual Munster Council awards banquet.

WESTMEATH: G. Connaughton; D. Healy, J. Keane, F. O’Boyle; M. Ennis, D. O’Donoghue, G. Glennon; D. O’Shaughnessy, P. Bannon; D. Heavin, G. Dolan, A. Mangan; J. Connellan, D. Glennon, D. Dolan (capt).

KILKENNY (MHC v Tipperary): C. McGrath (St. Martins); P. Nolan (do.), K. Mooney (Conaghy Shamrocks), J. Fitzpatrick (St. Lachtains); P. Murphy (Danesfort), D. Langton (Clara), PJ Rowe (Mooncoin); M. Kelly (O’Loughlin Gaels), M. Bergin (do.); M. Murphy (Erin's Own), J. Mulhall (St. Martins), M. Walsh (Tullaroan); C. Fennelly (Ballyhale Shamrocks), R. Hogan (Danesfort), J. Farrell (Thomastown).

MUNSTER HURLING STARS 2006: D. Óg Cusack (Cork); P. Curran (Tipperary), T. Feeney (Waterford), M. Foley (Limerick); J. Gardiner (Cork), R. Curran (Cork), E. Corcoran (Tipperary); T. Kenny (Cork), J. O’Connor (Cork); D. Shanahan (Waterford), T. Carmody (Clare), S. McGrath (Tipperary); T. Griffin (Clare), E. Kelly (Tipperary), J. Deane (Cork).

*Adjudicators: Donie Nealon, Eamon Cregan, Phil Fanning, Jim O’Sullivan (Irish Examiner), John O’Shaughnessy (Munster Council Media Award winner 2005).

MUNSTER FOOTBALL STARS 2006: A. Quirke (Cork); M. Prout (do), G. Canty (do), M. Ó Sé (Kerry); C. Mullane (Limerick), G. Spillane (Cork), A. O’Mahony (Kerry); D. Ó Sé (Kerry), N. Murphy (Cork); S. O’Brien (do), G. Hurney (Waterford), Denis Russell (Clare); J. Masters (Cork), K. Donaghy (Kerry), D. Browne (Tipperary).

* Adjudicators: E. Ryan, E. O’Sullivan, J. Landers, J. O’Sullivan, J. O’Shaughnessy.