Blake returns to Galway defence

Defender Diarmuid Blake has returned to the Galway team for Sunday's Connacht SFC semi-final clash with Leitrim (Carrick-on-Shannon, throw-in 2pm).

Blake has fully recovered from a recent hamstring injury and will start at centre-back in place of Niall Coyne, whom he replaced after 14 minutes of the quarter-final win over Mayo last month.

That is the only change in personnel manager Peter Ford has made to the side that dethroned last year's Connacht champions.

Ford has made four positional switches, beginning in defence where wing backs Michael Comer and Declan Meehan swap flanks. Derek Savage has been switched to right half-forward, taking the place of Ja Fallon who has been pencilled in at centre-forward.

Both Savage and full-back and captain Finian Hanley have recovered from knocks to start.

The final alteration see Michael Meehan, who led the Tribesmen's attack against Mayo, listed this time at right corner forward.

The Galway substitutes bench includes forward duo Sean Armstrong and Matthew Clancy who have both been battling hamstring injuries in recent weeks.

The winners of Sunday's televised encounter will face Sligo in the Connacht final on July 8. A victory for Galway would net them their eighth successive championship triumph over Leitrim since 1995.

GALWAY (SFC v Leitrim) - P Doherty; K Fitzgerald, F Hanley (capt), D Burke; M Comer, D Blake, D Meehan; J Bergin, N Coleman; D Savage, J Fallon, N Joyce; M Meehan, P Joyce, C Bane.