GAELIC GAMES: Youth is the most prominent feature of the Cavan team to play Antrim in Sunday's Ulster football quarter-final at Belfast's Casement Park. Defender Mark McKeever (19) and midfielder Sean Maguire (20) make championship debuts, and around half the panel are under 23.

Yet such is the growing trend now at intercounty level. For older players, like Cavan captain Peter Reilly, such widespread youth has helped inject fresh enthusiasm into the entire team. Not just in the training, but also in the anticipation of another championship.

"The fact is that football has become a young man's game," says Reilly. "And what has tended to happen with most teams now is that five or six players are still at under-21 level. And at that age they certainly do have great enthusiasm, and bring that to the training sessions and also the matches.

"And it is easier to do the training at that age as well, and especially to get the amount of rest that is required. These young players can handle the pressures, too. But they're not just there because of their enthusiasm. They happen to be very good footballers as well."

The well-documented injury crisis that hit Cavan in recent weeks means manager Mattie Kerrigan has also left two vacancies -  at left corner back and full forward - until closer to throw-in on Sunday.

Another 19-year-old, Joey Jordan, if passed fit, is expected to fill the defensive role in what would be the fourth championship debut along with McKeever, Maguire and right half forward Paul Brady.

Who is set to play at full forward, however, is anyone's guess as Kerrigan is still contemplating the loss of the two most obvious candidates. Jason Reilly, probably their most experienced full forward, has been sidelined with injury for several weeks now, and the best Kerrigan expects to get out of him is "maybe 10 minutes" if the need arises.

The next best contender, 20-year-old Gerald Pierson, who scored 0-10 in the championship opener against Donegal a year ago, has also been sidelined with back and arm injuries and is not expected to play any role.

Reilly might still be a couple of months short of his 28th birthday, but he accepts that he is now part of the older generation.

"I suppose the average age in most county panels would be in the early 20s. And the younger players are taking on more of a role."

Experience, however, still counts and Reilly, who made his senior debut in 1994, realises  that while Antrim will start as big underdogs  they can never be taken for granted.

"I remember when we last played them in 1996 we had built up a good lead but they came right back at us in the second half and we just about held out. It was the same the year before. Antrim have been unlucky in a lot of games in recent years, and did beat Down a couple of years back, and were then very unlucky not to beat Derry.

"So of course we won't be taking them for granted. The game is there to be won, but we'll have to perform at our best to do it. And just look what's happened to a lot of the favourites already this year. They hit a brick wall."

Interestingly, three of Cavan's younger players - McKeever and substitutes Sean Brady and Patrick Brady - were a couple of years ago all part of the Irish under-17 International Rules team that competed with Australia.

Meanwhile, Tyrone forward Stephen O'Neill  remains a big doubt for tomorrow's Ulster football replay against  Derry at Casement Park because of a shoulder injury. Manager Mickey Harte has already settled on two changes from last Sunday's draw, with Ryan McMenamin replacing Michael McGee in the defence, and Gerard Cavlan starting at corner forward instead of Enda McGinley.

In hurling news, Dublin have lost the services of full forward Kevin Ryan for tomorrow's Leinster preliminary-round final against Laois. A thumb injury is more serious than Ryan first suspected and manager Marty Morris is likely to call on Shane Martin, Liam O'Donoghue or Michael Carton, who were all listed among the substitutes.

Elsewhere, the official opening of Pearse Stadium in Galway takes place this Sunday with two attractive challenge matches. The Galway footballers play All-Ireland champions Armagh at 2.0, followed at 4.0 with the meeting of the Galway hurlers and All-Ireland hurling champions Kilkenny.

In between, GAA president Sean Kelly and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will do the red tape honours. The redeveloped stadium cost EURO 11 million and can now hold 34,000.