Fallon winning fitness battle

Ronan Fallon looks set to play some part in Dublin's All-Ireland SHC quarter-final clash with Limerick on Sunday, after topping up his match fitness over the weekend.

The St Vincent's clubman, a key figure in the Dublin defence at centre-back, has not played for his county since breaking a metatarsal bone in his foot in a league game against Kilkenny in April.

However, Fallon has trained successfully for the past three weeks, featuring in a challenge match last week against Offaly and two recent training games.

"Ronan's making significant progress, he got through the Offaly game and played two matches in training at the weekend fairly solidly," Dublin manager Anthony Daly said in an interview in the Irish Times.

"He'd get quicker faster than a lot of lads but he'll hardly be able to start (against Limerick) and I don't think there is 70 minutes in him yet."

That means Fallon could have an impact off the bench in Thurles, and Daly will have to rejig his defence anyway following the broken thumb sustained by corner back Oisín Gough last week.

Gough received the injury during Dublin's Leinster U-21 final defeat by Kilkenny.

There is more positive news surrounding Liam Rushe (ankle), David Curtin (thigh) and Kevin Ryan (thigh), whose injuries will not prevent them from being considered for selection.

The selected Dublin team will be announced on Friday, with Ross O'Carroll, who was used as a second half substitute in the Leinster final, another player pushing to make the starting line-up.