'Brick' on board for Donegal's Championship opener

Dermot Molloy will join his Under-21 colleague Michael Murphy in the Donegal full-forward line for Sunday's Ulster SFC quarter-final against Down at Ballybofey (throw-in 2pm).

Molloy, who scored five points in the Donegal U-21s' recent All-Ireland final loss to Dublin, is the only Championship debutant in John Joe Doherty's selected side.

The Glenties youngster, nicknamed 'Brick', will start at top of the right, with experienced free-taker Colm McFadden the player to miss out.

Overall, the Donegal selection is along expected lines, showing five changes to the side that was thumped 2-16 to 0-6 by Armagh in their final NFL Division 2 game last month.

Molloy, midfielder Barry Monaghan and half-forwards Rory Kavanagh, Christy Toye and David Walsh are the players to come in, with Monaghan partnering former captain Neil Gallagher at centre-field.

Kavanagh is back in the starting line-up after missing the league campaign while travelling abroad. Brendan Boyle's groin injury has also opened the door for Monaghan to start.

The shake-up in attack sees McFadden, Ross Wherity and Adrian Hanlon lose out, along with defender Anthony Thompson and midfielder Edward Kelly.

Speaking ahead of Sunday's clash, Donegal boss Doherty said: "Everybody is in good form and preparations have gone well. We are all looking forward to the game and I feel the hurt of the Armagh defeat will drive the boys to pull out all the stops and give a good account of themselves."

This weekend's winners will face Tyrone at the semi-final stage, and despite a disappointing league run, the Tir Chonaill men will be buoyed by the fact that they have won the sides' last three Championship encounters.

They beat Down in 2002 (3-12 to 1-6, Ulster quarter-final), 2003 (3-15 to 2-10, All-Ireland fourth round qualifier) and 2006 (1-12 to 1-11, Ulster quarter-final).

DONEGAL (SFC v Down): P Durcan; F McGlynn, N McGee, K Lacey; M Maguire, K Cassidy (capt), B Dunnion; B Monaghan, N Gallagher; R Kavanagh, C Toye, D Walsh; D Molloy, M Murphy, C Dunne.

Subs: L McFadden, L McLoone, A Hanlon, E Waide, C McFadden, A Thompson, M McElhinney, P McGrath, C Greene, E McGee, K Mulhern, M McHugh, S Boyle, S Griffin, J Keeney.