Turley to start for Down

Peter Turley will start at full-back in the Down team for tomorrow's GAA All-Ireland SFC third round qualifier against Wexford at Croke Park (throw-in 2pm).

Turley, who will be making his first All-Ireland championship start, comes in for the injured Martin Cole in the one and only change manager Ross Carr has made to the side that beat Laois last weekend.

Cole injured his ankle in the Laois game and had to be replaced by Downpatrick defender Turley.

Team captain and midfielder Dan Gordon is free to play after his straight red card for clashing with Laois' Pauric Clancy last Saturday was dismissed.

He successfully appealed the decision at a meeting of the GAA's Central Hearings Committee on Wednesday night.

Aidan Carr and Benny Coulter, two other key men in the Mourne line-up, will start again at centre-back and left corner-forward although they are likely to be given licence to roam.

Tomorrow's game will mark the first ever championship meeting of Down and Wexford.

The Mourne men lost by 2-08 to 0-09 when the sides clashed at Wexford Park in National League Division 3 earlier this year.

Down beat Tyrone but lost to eventual champions Armagh in this summer's Ulster championship.

They got back on track in recent weeks with qualifier victories over Offaly and Laois, scoring a handsome 7-33 in the process.

DOWN (SFC v Wexford) - B McVeigh; L Howard, P Turley, C Munrey; P Murphy, A Carr, K McGuigan; D Gordon (capt), A Rogers; J Fegan, K Kernan, D Hughes; R Murtagh, J Clarke, B Coulter.