GAA: Eamon Fennell will return to Dublin's midfield for Sunday's Leinster SFC final against Wexford at Croke Park (2pm). The fractured finger sustained by Michael Darragh Macauley in the semi-final win over Kildare affords the St Vincents man his to partner Denis Bastick.
There is one positional switch in the forward line announced by Pat Gilroy this morning, with Diarmuid Connolly posted in front of goal and Eoghan O’Gara shifted to right corner forward.
O'Gara was sent off in the one-point win over the Lilywhites but it was a second yellow card, rather than a straight red, meaning he is free to face Wexford.
Gilroy insisted this morning he has no doubts about the temperament of the Templeogue Gaels man and expects him to learn from the dismissal.
Reflecting on the campaign so far, the manager admitted his side could improve significantly but he is pleased with the consistency and effort shown by his squad.
“The performances have been good but not outstanding,” said Gilroy. “You would hope that they would start to come later on with more Championship matches.
“I think the work-rate has been excellent and the application very good in both matches. We did what we had to do. You're definitely not at your absolute best for the early part.
“We're playing a lot more consistent than the final two years ago. We're not having those awful games. We haven't had a big fall off in performance since the Meath match last year. We've been fairly consistent.
“We'd be a lot more sure of what we're getting out of the players and they know what we're looking for now.”
The challenge of the Model County, he said, will be another step up as his side look to curtail their free-scoring forward line.
"You are getting to that stage of the Championship where big scores probably won't be racked up by any team. Certainly their forwards have been the in-form forwards of the Championship so far.
"In comparison to the last two teams we played in the Championship, the Wexford forwards are firing really well at the minute. I think it will be a big challenge for us.
"Most people remember last year ahead of 2008 in that Wexford really put it up to us that day. In our own minds that is what we would be expecting and it will be a very tough game."
DUBLIN (SF v Wexford):Stephen Cluxton; Michael Fitzsimons, Rory O'Carroll, Paul Conlon, James McCarthy, Ger Brennan, Kevin Nolan; Denis Bastick, Eamon Fennell; Paul Flynn, Alan Brogan, Bryan Cullen (captain), Eoghan O'Gara, Diarmuid Connolly, Bernard Brogan