Donegal and Roscommon reveal team selections

Stephen Griffin is the surprise inclusion in the Donegal side for tomorrow's GAA All-Ireland SFC first round qualifier encounter with Roscommon at Ballybofey, throw-in 5pm.

Griffin will make his championship debut at left half-forward having caught the eye in action for his club St Naul's in recent weeks.

In all, Donegal manager Brian McIver has made three changes to the team he selected for last month's Ulster championship quarter-final defeat to Derry.

First team regulars Christy Toye and Barry Dunnion are both out injured, while play-making attacker Michael Hegarty has been dropped.

The new inclusions are all up front - Griffin and Kevin Rafferty have the wing forward berths and Buncrana's Ryan Bradley is listed at full-forward. David Walsh has also been re-positioned to centre-forward.

With Kevin Cassidy switched to left half-back, the Tir Chonaill men will line out with a new midfielder partnership in Neil Gallagher and Rory Kavanagh.

Meanwhile, Roscommon manager Michael Ryan has recalled David Casey to the full-back position for tomorrow's game.

Casey's involvement from the start sees team captain Seanie McDermott moved to left corner-back.

David Keenan is now at right half-back and the fully-fit Stuart Daly will don the number 7 jersey at David Hoey's expense.

The Rossies have also plumped for a new midfield pairing in Karol Mannion and Michael Finneran. The bustling Seamus O'Neill has lost his starting place and Mark O'Carroll switches to an attacking role.

Up front, Conor Devaney, Jonathan Dunning and Donie Shine have made way for David O'Gara, Ger Heneghan and John Rogers, with the latter having played at wing-back in his side's Connacht championship loss to Galway.

Ryan is expecting a big performance from the Roscommon players as they look to banish memories of that Galway game and what has been a disappointing season to date.

"We're extremely focused as a team. We've trained hard for this and the lads are very determined to get a result," he told the Roscommon Herald.

"We're not overly worried about Donegal. We'll have the players briefed about what to expect from them. We've changed our style of play. I think we can be just as mobile as Donegal.

"John Rogers, David Casey and John Whyte have made a big difference. The young players have a lot of time for these guys...and Shane Curran has come in and you can see the improvement in the goalkeepers' kick-outs.

"Overall, the vibes are very good and we're in good fettle going to Ballybofey. It's a big game for us. We want to turn this season around."

Tomorrow's game will be the first ever SFC meeting between Donegal and Roscommon.

Donegal reached round three of last year's qualifiers before losing to Monaghan, while the Rossies succumbed to Kildare in the opening round.

DONEGAL (SFC v Roscommon) - P Durcan; E McGee, N McGee, K Lacey; F McGlynn, B Monaghan, K Cassidy (capt); N Gallagher, R Kavanagh; K Rafferty, D Walsh, S Griffin; C McFadden, R Bradley, M Murphy.

ROSCOMMON - G Claffey; P O'Connor, D Casey, S McDermott (capt); D Keenan, G Cox, S Daly; M Finneran, K Mannion; M O'Carroll, D O'Gara, J Rogers; C Cregg, S Kilbride, G Heneghan.