Skipper Dooher and O’Neill major doubts for Meath quarter-final clash

TYRONE captain Brian Dooher looks certain to miss Saturday’s All-Ireland SFC quarter-final against Meath at Croke Park.

Dooher, the only Red Hand survivor from the last championship meeting between the counties in 1996, is struggling with a groin problem.

He lasted only 15 minutes of a an internal practice match at the weekend.

Stephen O’Neill is also a major doubt and manager Mickey Harte has said he will not be fit for 70 minutes of action.

But Tyrone expect to have Gerard Cavlan, Owen Mulligan and Cormac McGinley available for selection after injury setbacks.

Goalkeeper Alan Quirke and right half back Noel O’Leary return to the Cork team for next Saturday’s Bank of Ireland, All-Ireland SFC quarter final showdown with Sligo at Croke Park.

Quirke, who dislocated his shoulder in the opening game of the Munster championship against Limerick, takes over from his deputy Paddy O’Shea, while O’Leary, who missed the qualifying victory over Louth because of suspension, is named at right half back, with John Miskella moving to right half forward, to the exclusion of Conor McCarthy.

The Sligo team will be revealed tonight but with the inspirational Eamon O’Hara fit to play, it is highly unlikely many changes will be made from the team that shocked Galway in the Connacht final.

Wexford manager John Meyler is confident his three injury casualties from last weekend will be fit for next Sunday’s semi-final at Croke Park.

Full-back Keith Rossiter sustained a slight groin injury. Midfielder Rory McCarthy damaged ribs, while wing forward Paul Carley, wrenched his back during the warm- up.

However, the manager said that he believes all three will be in the frame for starting places for the semi-final.

Meanwhile the Kerry minor football selectors have made sweeping changes for Sunday’s All-Ireland quarter-final clash with Tyrone in Tullamore.

Wayne Guthrie replaces Fergal Flynn; Colm O’Shea comes in for Paul Curtin who damaged his cruciate knee ligament, while Timothy O’Sullivan replaces Jamie Doolan.

There are also several positional switches. Iam Somers moves from midfield to right half back with Guthire coming in to form a new midfield partnership with Johnny Buckley; Brien O’Leary switches with Paul Costello, manning the number six berth; Michael Ó Sé moves from right half back to right half forward; Eoin Kennedy is at left corner forward after leading the Kerry attack against Cork, while Barry John Walsh goes from right corner forward to full forward.

CORK (SFC v Sligo): A. Quirke; M. Shields, G. Canty, K. O’Connor; N. O’Leary, G. Spillane, A. Lynch; D. Kavanagh, N. Murphy; J. Miskella, P. O’Neill, K. McMahon; J. Masters, M. Cussen, D. O’Connor.

ANTRIM (SF v Wicklow): S McGreevey; P Close, P Doherty, J Loughery; S Kelly, E O’Neill, J Crozier; J Quinn, D Martin; A Gallagher, K Niblock, K Brady; C Close, M McCann, C McGourty.

WESTMEATH (CR Cup v Carlow): M. Briody; N. Gavin, P. Greville, P. Jordan; P. Dowdall, D. McCormack, B. Connaughton (Raharney); J. Shaw, P. Clarke; R. Whelan, B. Murtagh, A. Mitchell; B. Kennedy, D. McNicholas, D. Carty.

KERRY (MFC v Tyrone): T Mac an tSaoir (An Ghaeltacht); D O’Sullivan (C) (Kerins O’Rahillys), B Shanahan (Austin Stacks), B Russell (Spa);I Somers (Currow), B O’Leary (Rathmore), P Costelloe (Ballyduff); J Buckley (Dr Crokes) W Gutherie (Austin Stacks); M Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht), C O’Shea (Firies), J.B. Spillane (Castlegregory), T O’Sullivan (Beaufort), BJ Walsh (Kerins O’Rahilllys), E Kennedy (Asdee).