Lohan hands McCarthy and Rodgers league final starts

Rodgers is named at centre-forward, having picked up a injury in the semi-final victory over Tipperary, while Shane O’Donnell and David McInerney are included on the bench.

GOOD TO GO: Mark Rodgers and Bryan O’Mara of Tipperary. Pic: Ryan Byrne

Brian Lohan has named both Aidan McCarthy and Mark Rodgers in his forward line for their Allianz Hurling League final clash with Kilkenny on Saturday. 

McCarthy is included at corner forward in place of Keith Smyth, who drops out of the matchday panel.

Rodgers is named at centre-forward, having picked up a knock in the semi-final victory over Tipperary, while Shane O’Donnell and David McInerney are included on the bench.

Meanwhile, NFL hopeful Rory Beggan is named on the bench for Monaghan’s Ulster SFC opener against Cavan on Sunday.

Beggan has not played a competitive fixture for Monaghan in 2024. His last involvement was the 2023 All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Dublin.

The 2018 All-Star goalkeeper has spent recent months in America bidding to secure an NFL contract as a kicker through the sport’s International Player Pathway program.

The Scotstown clubman could still earn a contract offer in the coming months, but for the time being, and on the eve of the county’s Ulster preliminary quarter-final, he has returned to the inter-county scene.

Kevin McStay has named a very strong Mayo team to face New York in the opening round of the Connacht GAA senior football championship on Sunday.

The game at Gaelic Park in the Bronx will see Aidan O’Shea make his 185th Mayo appearance. It will be his 85th championship game, a new Mayo record equalling Kerry legend Colm ‘Gooch’ Cooper on the national stage.

Elsewhere, John Kiely has confirmed two-time All-Star Darragh O'Donovan is set to miss the Munster SHC fixtures against Clare (April 21st) and Tipperary (April 28th) due to a calf injury.

Clare (NHL final v Kilkenny): E Quilligan; A Hogan, C Cleary, C Leen; D Ryan, J Conlon, C Galvin; D Fitzgerald, D Lohan; C Malone, M Rodgers, P Duggan; A McCarthy, I Galvin, D Reidy. 

Subs: C Broderick, R Hayes, P Flanagan, S Morey, D McInerney, P Donnellan, S O'Donnell, A Shanagher, S Meehan, P Crotty, G Sheehy. 

Monaghan (Ulster SFC v Cavan): D McDonnell; R Wylie, K Duffy, R O’Toole; K O’Connell, K Lavelle, C McCarthy; G Mohan, D Hughes; C McNulty, M Hamill, J Irwin; D Garland, J McCarron, C McManus.

Subs: R Beggan, T McPhillips, S Mooney, S Jones, J Wilson, M Banningan, D McElearney, K Loughran, B McBennett, M McCarville, C Lennon.

Cavan (Ulster SFC v Monaghan): G O'Rourke; C Reilly, K Brady, B O'Connell; P Faulkner, N Carolan, C Brady; J Smith, O Kiernan; C Brady, G Smith, O Kiernan; C Madden, P Lynch, O Brady.

Subs: F O'Rourke, M Magee, L Fortune, C Rehill, P Meade, T Noack Hofmann, R Donohoe, J Galligan, T Madden, Cormac O'Reilly, Caoimhin O'Reilly.

Mayo (Connacht SFC v New York): C Reape; J Coyne, R Brickenden, S Callinan; P Durcan (c), S Coen, E McLaughlin; D McBrien, M Ruane; B Tuohy, F Boland, J Carney; A O'Shea, T Conroy, Ryan O'Donoghue.

Subs: R Hennelly, A McDonnell, C O'Connor, C Hunt, C McStay, D McHale, E Hession, F Kelly, M Plunkett, P O'Hora, P Towey.

New York (Connacht SFC v Mayo): J Grace; S Bolger, J Boyle, T O'Riordan; S Brosnan, C O'Dea, R Wharton; J Walsh, E O'Connghaile; T Mathers, F O'Reilly, P Lillis; S Reilly, M Argue, K Butler.

Subs: R Corrigan, M Boyle, I Ilunga, C Mathers, P Fox, A Loughlin Stones, L Kearney, J Ajani, N McCarthy, M Brosnan, J Reilly,

Leitrim (Connacht SFC v Sligo): N O’Donnell; C Reynolds, M Diffley, A Flynn; D Wrynn, M Plunkett, A Reynolds; J Gilheany, P Dolan; T Prior, R O’Rourke, P Keaney; R O’Rourke, D Rooney, E Sweeney.

Subs: K Gaffey, J Rooney, K Clancy, S McLoughlin, J McGreal, R Oberwan, J Flynn, S Quinn, C Quinn, B McNulty, J Foley.

Sligo (Connacht SFC v Leitrim): A Eevaney; E Lyons, E McGuinness, P McNamara; P Laffey, N Mullen, D Cummins; S Carrabine, C Mulligan; C Lally, A McLaughlin, E Smith; P Kilcoyne, N Murphy, L Deignan.

Subs: D Lyons, B Cox, D O'Boyle, D Conlon, D Walsh, K Cawley, P O'Connor, D Quinn, M Gordon, M Walsh, L Casserly.

London (Connacht SFC v Galway): M Lynch; D Rooney, M Moynihan, F Eastwood; O Kerr, E Walsh, T Barry; L Gallagher, S Dornan; DJ O’Flaherty, D Clarke, C Diver; J Obahor, S Rafter, N McElwaine. 

Subs: A Walsh, C Mulgrew, G McDowell, L Kelly, M Carroll, M Miller, P Dolan, R Rafferty, R Tohill, S McMonagle, S Tucker.

Limerick (Munster SFC v Cork): J Ryan; D O’Doherty, S O’Dea, B O’Sullivan; C Woulfe, C Fahy (C), P Maher; T Childs, E Rigter; B Nix, C Downes, J Naughton; P Nash, R Childs, D Neville. 

Subs: A O’Sullivan, J Baynham, T Griffin, D Kelly, S Costelloe, R O’Connor, S Doherty, T Siochru, E Hurley, J Hayes, B Coleman