GAA: Former Sligo player Rory Brennan has joined the Mayo panel and is likely to feature in the county's opening game in the FBD Connacht League against NUIG at Dangan this Sunday.
Brennan, who has been plagued with injuries over the years, decided to transfer from Tubbercurry to Westport, where he is based, some weeks ago.
He has already lined out with Mayo in a challenge game against Roscommon. Brennan played against Mayo in the 2001 championship.
Mayo manager John Maughan has drawn up an "open-ended" panel for the winter. He has brought in a number of new faces and most of these will be given a run in the Connacht League which features Third Level colleges in the province for the first time.
Fergal Costello, whose army career meant he was unable to train last year, is back in the panel, as is Ray Connelly, who was out through injury for a long spell last season.
Crossmolina players, who are also managed by Maughan, will join the panel when they have completed their club championship programme - they face Leinster champions Dunshaughlin in the semi-final.
In Wexford, injuries continue to pile up for new manager John Conran with goalkeeper Damien Fitzhenry the latest casualty.
Fitzhenry received a broken cheekbone in a charity football match on New Year's Day and was operated on in St James' Hospital, Dublin, last Sunday, just as his senior hurling team colleagues were jetting out for a week-long sunshine holiday in Lanzarote.
Fitzhenry could miss the opening series of National League games. "I've been ruled out of all contact sport for up to eight weeks," said Fitzhenry.
Wexford full back Darragh Ryan is recovering from a cruciate ligament injury and will miss the entire league campaign.
Meanwhile, Carlow's long-serving midfielder Sean Kavanagh has announced his retirement from intercounty football.
Four of Tyrone manager Mickey Harte's newcomers will make their senior debuts when Tyrone take on Fermanagh in Sunday's Dr McKenna Cup clash. Paul Horisk of Errigal Ciaran and Ardboe's Gavin Devlin get their chance in the half back line, while Harte's son Mark will play at centre forward. Frank McGuigan, another son of a famous father, comes in at corner forward.
Dublin's O'Byrne Cup match against Wicklow next Sunday (2.0) has been transferred from Parnell Park to Kiltepper Road.
SUNDAY'S FIXTURES
O'BYRNE CUP SF (all 2.0, extra-time if necessary: Dublin v Wicklow, Kiltepper Road, D Coldrick (Meath); Kildare v Westmeath, Newbridge, M Deegan (Laois); Meath v Longford, Navan, P Finnegan (Louth); Offaly v Wexford, Tullamore, P O'Reilly (Longford).
CONNACHT SF LEAGUE (all 2.0): NUIG v Mayo, Daingean, P Carney (Roscommon); Galway v Sligo IT, Tuam, C Collins (Mayo); GMIT v Leitrim, Turloughmore, M Duffy (Sligo).
DR McKENNA CUP SF (all 2.0, extra-time if necessary): Fermanagh v Tyrone, Enniskillen, J White (Donegal); Derry v Monaghan, Ballinascreen, M Kolbohm (Tyrone); Donegal v Cavan, Ballyshannon, D Ward (Monaghan).
