GAELIC GAMES:GALWAY MANAGER John McIntyre has taken a scalpel to his misfiring side, making five changes for Saturday's All-Ireland hurling qualifier against Clare.
Captain Damien Joyce is among the casualties, along with Cyril Donnellan, the hat-trick hero in the Leinster quarter-final victory over Westmeath, who has been nursing a toe injury picked up against Dublin.
The return from injury of free-taker Ger Farragher and Iarla Tannian is a boost to the Tribesmen ahead of the clash in Pearse Stadium.
Veteran Alan Kerins, who was only recalled to the squad a few weeks ago after a two-year absence, starts at left corner forward, while Donal Barry returns to the half-back line and Andy Smith is recalled and given a midfield role.
Barry Daly, Éanna Ryan and Aonghus Callinan are the other players to be dropped, while, in a positional switch, Shane Kavanagh reverts to his normal full back position from wing back, and David Collins moves to corner back from full back.
Damien Hayes takes over the captaincy.
The row which threatened to hold up the Galway senior football championship seems to have been resolved, with Connemara side Micheál Breathnachs reinstated following a dispute over the eligibility of a player.
At the centre of the dispute was Tommy Conneely, who came on as a sub in their one-point win over Mountbellew/Moylough.
He had permission to play for his adopted club rather than Na Piarsaigh, from where he resides, and Mountbellew’s objection centred around whether this permission allowed him to play at senior level or just underage.
Meanwhile, Damien Reale is out of the Limerick team to play Wexford in the hurling qualifiers on Saturday. He suffered a knee injury in a recent club championship game when assisting Hospital-Herbertstown.
David Moloney, who replaced Reale after 59 minutes against Waterford, takes his place at right corner back.
The only other change sees schools star Declan Hannon come into the team at left half forward. Hannon was not considered for the game against Waterford because he was sitting his Leaving Certificate.
GALWAY (SHC v Clare): J Skehill; F Moore, S Kavanagh, D Collins; D Barry, T Óg Regan, A Cullinane; D Burke, A Smith; J Gantley, G Farragher, I Tannian; D Hayes, J Canning, A Kerins.
LIMERICK (SHC v Wexford): N Quaid; D Moloney, S Hickey, T Condon; W McNamara, B Geary, G O’Mahoney; D O’Grady, P Browne; N Moran, J Ryan, D Hannon; G Mulcahy, K Downes, S Tobin.
ANTRIM (SHC v Armagh): C Cunningham; C McGuinness, K McGourty, J McCouaig; K McKeague, M Donnelly, C Herron; B McFall, S McRory; J Scullion, T McCann, E McCloskey; P Doherty, C McFall, K McKeegan.
