Red letter day for McGuigan

After almost three years in the championship wilderness, Tyrone's Brian McGuigan will finally return to action in Sunday's first…

After almost three years in the championship wilderness, Tyrone's Brian McGuigan will finally return to action in Sunday's first round encounter with Down.

A succession of injuries saw the half-forward ruled out of the entire 2006 and 2007 All-Ireland campaigns, but having recovered from the latest setback is back in Mickey Harte's starting line-up for the match at Healy Park.

Also back for Tyrone is Brian Dooher, who didn't feature at all during the league, while any niggling doubts over the availability of Sean Cavanagh proved unfounded and he takes his place alongside Colin Holmes in midfield.

Conspicuous by his absence will be Owen Mulligan, a hamstring injury restricting his progress in recent weeks, while Raymond Mulgrew has also failed to shake off a shoulder problem.

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Down manager Ross Carr, who will find out tomorrow morning if the eight-week touchline ban he received in the still league stands, also revealed his hand this evening.

The side shows a number of changes from their final league outing against Fermanagh, with Colm Murney and Damien Rafferty coming into the defence. Jack Lynch partners Dan Gordon in midfield, while John Fegan and Danny Hughes start in attack.

Meanwhile, Derry's Fergal Doherty is set to miss the Ulster football semi-final meeting with Fermanagh after being handed a four-week suspension by the CCCC.

Television cameras picked up the midfielder striking Rory Kavanagh during last Sunday's triumph over Donegal and the subsequent ban will rule him out of the June 21st semi-final.

Tyrone:P McConnell, R McMenamin, J McMahon, D McCaul, D Harte, C Gormley, P Jordan, C Holmes, S Cavanagh, B Dooher, B McGuigan, E McGinley, M Penrose, C Cavanagh, C McCullagh.

Down:B McVeigh; L Howard, M Cole, C Murney: A Carr, L Doyle, D Rafferty; D Gordon, J Lynch; J Fegan, R Murtagh, D Hughes; J Clarke, R Sexton, B Coulter.