Ballyboden duo Stephen Hiney and Emmet Carroll will return to the Dublin jersey today in the Dubs Stars versus Dublin clash at Naomh Mearnóg, Portmarnock (2.0).

Carroll opted out of the panel in 2006 while Hiney only made his comeback to club hurling late in the summer after a combination of an eye injury and travel had ruled him out. Hiney, who had surgery on a detached retina, will be making his first appearance in a Dublin jersey since July 2005.

A new face in the Dublin side is Declan Qualter who will line out at centre forward, flanked by Keith Dunne and Joey Boland. David Curtin, Ronan Fallon and Kevin Flynn, originally selected on the Dubs Stars starting 15, are all away and will be replaced by Fergal Armstrong, Michael Carton and Kevin O'Reilly.

The hurling clash will be preceded by the meeting of Ballyboden St Enda's and Dublin in a camogie game (12.30). The football Dubs Stars game takes place at Mearnóg on Saturday, January 6th (2.0), with a women's football challenge between Dublin and Meath also scheduled.

Brian Dooher is to serve a third successive term as Tyrone captain. But manager Mickey Harte will have to nominate a stand-in skipper for the Dr McKenna Cup and possibly the early stages of the National Football League. Dooher is continuing his recovery and rehabilitation from a serious knee injury, and will not be available for the county until late January at the earliest.

The former All Star's two previous seasons in the role produced a stark contrast in fortunes. In 2005 he led the county to All-Ireland glory, but last year missed most of the season because of injury as the Sam Maguire Cup holders surrendered their crown rather tamely.

Tyrone were hit by injuries in 2006, which also robbed them of the services at crucial stages of Brian McGuigan, Colin Holmes, Stephen O'Neill and Gerard Cavlan, while Conor Gormley broke an ankle after the side's exit from the title race at the hands of Laois.

All are well on the road to recovery, however, and Harte expects to have a fully fit squad at his disposal by the midway point of the National League.

DUBS STARS (SH v Dublin): Alan Nolan (St Brigid's); Tom Russell (St Vincent's), Stephen Perkins (Ballyboden St Enda's), Cathal Ryan (Ballyboden St Enda's); Derek O'Reilly (Craobh Chiarain), Michael Carton (O'Toole's), Dave Kirwan (Craobh Chiarain); Damien Russell (St Vincent's), Johnny McGuirk (Craobh Chiarain); Alan McCrabbe (Craobh Chiarain), Fergal Armstrong (Kilmacud Crokes), Dermot Connolly (St Vincent's); David O'Callaghan (St Mark's), Ger Ennis (Craobh Chiarain), Kevin O'Reilly (Lucan Sarsfields). Subs: Stephen Chester (Craobh Chiarain), Cormac de Frein (Kilmacud Crokes), Kevin Ryan (O'Toole's), Eoghan Dunne (Cuala).

DUBLIN: Gary Maguire (Ballyboden St Enda's); Philip Brennan (O'Toole's), Stephen Hiney (Ballyboden St Enda's), Robert Reid (Cuala); Eoin Moran (Round Towers, C), Tom Brady (Na Fianna), Ger O'Meara (O'Toole's); Tommy Moore (Erin's Isle), John McCaffrey (Lucan Sarsfields); Keith Dunne (Erin's Isle), Declan Qualter (St Vincent's), Joseph Boland (Na Fianna); Stuart Mullen (St Oliver Plunkett's/ER), Liam Ryan (O'Toole's), Emmet Carroll (Ballyboden St Enda's). Subs: Paddy Curtin (St Oliver Plunkett's/ER), Stephen McDonnell (Craobh Chiarain), Peadar Carton (O'Toole's), Greg Bennett (Raheny), Paul O'Brien (Kevins), Declan O'Dwyer (Naomh Olaf), Aodhan de Paor (Kilmacud Crokes), Aidan Downes (Na Fianna), John Kelly (St Mark's).