Con O'Callaghan named to start as Dublin make two changes for Louth clash

Captain Con O’Callaghan and Greg McEneaney are named to start in place of Peadar Ó Cofaigh-Byrne and Theo Clancy.

Dublin player Con O'Callaghan watches the presentation after the Leinster GAA Football Senior Championship final. Pic: Daire Brennan/Sportsfile

Dublin’s announced team to face Louth on Sunday shows two changes to the team that began the Leinster SFC final defeat to Westmeath.

Captain Con O’Callaghan and Greg McEneaney are named to start in place of Peadar Ó Cofaigh-Byrne, who came off in the first half of the provincial decider, and Theo Clancy, who was also replaced last Sunday week.

Hampered by a long-term hamstring problem, O’Callaghan hasn’t featured for Dublin since the Leinster SFC quarter-final win over Wicklow.

Meanwhile, Galway manager Micheál Donoghue says a serious ankle injury is set to rule Kieran Hanrahan out for the rest of the season.

The Loughrea man incurred the injury in the win over Wexford last Sunday. Daithí Burke is also recovering from an ankle setback picked up in the same game.

Cathal Mannion and Aaron Niland’s own ankle difficulties ruled them out of the Wexford fixture, while Rory Burke was also an absentee with a hamstring problem. 

“Working really hard with the medical team,” Donoghue told The Connacht Tribune ahead of Saturday week’s Leinster final against Dublin. “Obviously, you want to get your strongest team on the pitch. But just some of the injuries with the severity of them, you know, it's going to be up against the clock. 

"So next week, will tell the tale. Like I said, just with hamstrings and ankle injuries and just on the severity of it and making sure they have a few sessions under the belt.” 

DUBLIN (SFC v Louth): E. Comerford; G. McEneaney, N. Doran, D. Byrne; S. MacMahon, C. McMorrow, E. Kennedy; C. Kilkenny, B. Howard; S. Bugler, C. O’Callaghan (c), N. Scully; P. Small, K. McGinnis, C. Costello. 

Subs: H. O’Sullivan, T. Lahiff, L. Smith, L. Gannon, C. Murphy, S. Guiden, E. Dunne, P. White, N. O’Callaghan, L. Breathnach, T. Deering.

KERRY (SHC v Derry): C. Bohane; E. Leen, S. McGrath, K. O’Connor; J. O’Connor (c), J. Diggins, M. Leane; K. Goulding, H. Linehan; T. Doyle, R. Walsh, J. Brick; G. Dooley, P. Boyle, M. Slattery. 

Subs: D. Quirke, D. Kearney, A. Segal, L. O’Connor, I. Conway, S. Foran, L. Rochford, J. Conway, D. Casey, K. Carmody, O. Maunsell.

DERRY (SHC v Kerry): S. Kelly; J.L. McGlade, P. Turner, C. McGilligan; E. Cassidy, M. McGrath, C. Coyle; C. O’Doherty, T. Brady; C. Melaugh, J. Mulholland, D. McGilligan; R. Collins, S. Cassidy, D. Foley. 

Subs: E. Mulholland, E. Boylan, A. McBride, C. McGurk, S.M. Quinn, E. McGill, T. Melaugh, M. Lynch, R. McGarvey, E. Scullion, R. McGill.