Roscommon include three newcomers

Three players have been chosen to make their Championship debuts for Roscommon in Sunday afternoon's Connacht SFC quarter-final against London at Ruislip (throw-in 3pm).

Left corner back Stephen Ormsby, centre back Cathal Dineen and centre forward Paul Garvey have been selected by Roscommon manager Fergal O'Donnell for the trip across the Irish Sea.

O'Donnell has made just two changes to the team that secured a recent 1-12 to 1-8 challenge match victory over Limerick, with team captain Peter Domican replacing Ronan Brady at full-back and Dineen taking over from John Nolan in the number 6 jersey.

Domican sustained a minor knock while playing for his club St. Brigid's. He had to sit out the Limerick game but is expected to start this weekend's Championship opener.

Donal Shine has also shrugged off an injury to be named at full-forward, with experienced campaigner Karol Mannion, who played a minimal part in the National League due to injury, listed at midfield alongside Michael Finneran.

Free-taker Ger Heneghan, who opted out of the panel earlier in the season, will start at top of the left, and Jonathan Dunning is also edging closer to a return.

But it is not all good news for the Roscommon management as they begin the summer campaign with a lengthy injury list, which includes Enda Kenny, Senan Kilbride, David O'Gara, Fintan Cregg, James Connaughton and Niall Carty.

In addition, Sunday's game looks to have come too soon for Brian Higgins and David Casey, although the latter had a 45-minute run-out against a Dublin development side last week and could feature as a substitute.

Roscommon may have been relegated from Division 3 of the National League this year, but O'Donnell is confident that the county has a bright future, highlighted by the recent Connacht Under-21 title win.

"The Under-21 win shows that there is talent there coming through," he told the Irish Examiner.

"We need a few breaks along the way but these lads are coming through. All the focus now is on defeating London on Sunday.

"Training has gone well and we will be concentrating on delivering a good performance and hopefully winning the match."

Aware of just how demoralising a shock defeat would be on Sunday, O'Donnell added: "We didn't need New York to frighten Galway recently to realise we will need to be in top form to get a result against London.

"They came within the width of the woodwork of beating us five years ago and they will be up for it on Sunday. They always play well in Ruislip and we are in no doubt that we will face a stiff test."

An opening victory for the Rossies this weekend would set up a Connacht semi-final clash with Leitrim at Dr Hyde Park on Sunday, June 20.

ROSCOMMON (SFC v London): G Claffey; S McDermott, P Domican (capt), S Ormsby; S Purcell, C Dineen, M O’Carroll; M Finneran, K Mannion; D Keenan, P Garvey, C Cregg; J Rogers, D Shine, G Heneghan.