Three debutants for Carlow

Carlow will field a team that includes three Championship debutants when they take on Louth in Sunday's Leinster SFC quarter-final in Portlaoise (throw-in 3.30pm).

Manager Luke Dempsey has given his backing to goalkeeper Trevor O'Reilly, full-back Conor Lawlor and wing forward Ed Finnegan.

Right corner back Aidan Murphy and wing back Kieran Nolan, who both have prior Championship experience, will also start for the Barrowsiders, who have Tinryland's Shane Redmond as their captain.

Former Australian Rules hopeful Brendan Murphy is expected to be fit for the match. The midfielder injured his ankle in a recent challenge game against Cavan and will be monitored by the management at training tonight.

The Carlow attack is missing the suspended JJ Smith, but can still boast players of the calibre of Thomas Walsh and Daniel St Ledger.

Dempsey's charges played in a division below Louth in this year's Allianz League, but he told the Carlow Nationalist that they are more than capable of raising their game.

"They are a great bunch of lads. They couldn’t have trained any harder and it is just a matter of producing it on Sunday," he said.

"Louth are playing at that level in the higher divisions, they are used to it but at the same time when you go out against them you have to see if you can raise it to that level. They are a very good team and we will have to front up to them."

The winners of Sunday's game at O'Moore Park will advance to a June 26 semi-final against either Wexford or Westmeath.

CARLOW (SFC v Louth): Trevor O'Reilly; Aidan Murphy, Conor Lawlor, Brendan Kavanagh; Paul Cashin, Shane Redmond (capt), Kieran Nolan; Brendan Murphy, Darragh Foley; Pat Hickey, Thomas Walsh, Ed Finnegan; Brian Murphy, Sean Gannon, Daniel St Ledger.