Michael Donnellan is back in the Galway starting line-up for Sunday's Connacht football semi-final against Leitrim. Having missed all of the league through injury, Donnellan made a brief appearance in the quarter-final win over Roscommon but has now returned to full fitness, and is named at centre back for the game in Carrick-on-Shannon. Ian O'Riordan reports.
It will also be Donnellan's first start for Galway since last summer's All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Kerry. His return sees manager John O'Mahony slightly rearrange his defence, with Richie Fahey moving from centre back to corner back, and Michael Comer missing out on a starting place.
There are two further changes, with Brian Donoghue making his championship debut in goal as a replacement for Alan Keane, while Ja Fallon, who is also now back to his best form, replaces Derry O'Brien at left half forward.
Leitrim have included Seamus Quinn in their team despite concerns about his back injury. Quinn starts at centre forward in the most notable change from the team that narrowly overcame New York in the first round.
In hurling, Limerick name five newcomers to the Munster senior championship for Sunday's first semi-final against title-holders Waterford at Thurles. All five, however, have worked with manager Dave Keane during his successful reign with the under-21 side.
Getting the starting chance is corner back Eugene Mulcahy, as well as forwards Conor Fitzgerald, Niall Moran, Andrew O'Shaughnessy and Donncha Sheehan. It means 10 of the team named last night were also part of the recent under-21 breakthroughs. Ollie Moran is still suffering the effects of a broken finger but is named at left half forward, pending a late fitness test.
Waterford have left a vacancy at right half forward in the hope that Dan Shanahan, Eoin McGrath or John Mullane can improve their levels of fitness before Sunday. Shanahan and McGrath have been struggling with injury, while Mullane, most likely to start, has been out of action because of the three-month suspension he picked up for a club offence earlier in the year.
Elsewhere, Westmeath have left vacancies at both centre back and centre forward for their Leinster football championship quarter-final against Meath at Croke Park. Damien Healy and Shane Colleary are both struggling with injury, and should they fail to improve before Sunday both Justin McAteer or David O'Shaughnessy could start.
There are also three changes from the team that defeated Carlow, with Paddy Rouse an indirect replacement at right corner back for the injured David Kilmartin, Fergal Murray replacing Karl Henson at corner back, and Joe Fallon recalled to the left half forward position at the exclusion of James Conroy.
Donegal have recalled Niall McCready, who spent several years in the US, for their Ulster football quarter-final against Fermanagh. He comes into the full-back line in place of Noel McGinley, while John Gildea has also been passed fit.
Laois welcome back defender David Cuddy to their starting team for Saturday's Leinster hurling preliminary final replay against Dublin. Cuddy starts at centre forward as a indirect replacement for Enda Maher.
