Harte opts for new midfield partnership

GAELIC GAMES News: Tyrone manager Mickey Harte has laid down his side's intentions to dominate the midfield battle in tomorrow…

GAELIC GAMES News:Tyrone manager Mickey Harte has laid down his side's intentions to dominate the midfield battle in tomorrow night's National Football League encounter against Kerry at Austin Stack Park, Tralee, by selecting the new central partnership of Kevin Hughes and Enda McGinley.

They will come into direct contact with the imposing Kerry duo Darragh Ó Sé and Tommy Griffin.

Hughes, a natural midfielder, and McGinley featured in attack for last week's victory over Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds but in the absence of Seán Cavanagh, still sidelined with a foot injury, Harte has dropped Kelvin Hughes and switched Peter Donnelly to full back to accommodate the more experienced pairing. Donnelly's move alongside Ryan McMenamin and Dermot Carlin sees Joe McMahon on the bench.

Martin Penrose is named at centre forward with Colm McCullagh at full forward while Stephen O'Neill switches to the left corner. Niall Gormley scored 1-2 in his debut last week so he is retained in the opposite corner.

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Not that the players require any added incentive for this Division One A fixture but the stakes are raised by the fact the winners become a contender for the semi-finals as both teams are currently in joint third, alongside Dublin, on six points.

With Kieran Donaghy sidelined with a shoulder injury, Kerry manager Pat O'Shea has moved Seamus Scanlon to full forward and recalled Eamonn Fitzmaurice to the 40. Paul Galvin, who was introduced during last Sunday's defeat in Donegal, also regains a starting berth - at wing forward in place of Donncha Walsh. Daniel Bohan come in at left wing back for Mossie Lyons.

Cork football manager Billy Morgan has stayed loyal to the side that was beaten last week by an injury-time point from Mayo's Aidan Kilcoyne that leaves them with just a single victory from five outings. They remain second from bottom of Division One A, level on points with Limerick, and just ahead of Sunday's opponents Fermanagh. Noel O'Leary (ankle) and Nicholas Murphy (knee) have recovered from injury and will take up their respective wing back and midfield roles in Clones.

However, Dermot Hurley, Michael Prout and Alan Cronin, who were all introduced last week, are unavailable.

The Westmeath football team to play Division One B leaders Kildare shows three changes from the side that lost to Galway as Kieran Gavin comes in at wing back for Alan Rigney while forwards David Duffy and John Connellan are preferred to John Smyth and Paul Bannon.

Laois manager Liam Kearns has held off announcing a team to play Armagh on Saturday night owing to a raft of injuries. The main concerns are Tom Kelly, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Barry Brennan and Rory Stapleton.

Pat Roe has made several changes to the Offaly team ahead of the Division Two A fixture against Monaghan, also in Clones on Sunday.

With this year's team captain Alan McNamee partnered by Gracefield's Niall Smith at centre field, Ciarán McManus comes into a completely rejigged half forward line alongside Thomas Coughlan and Neville Coughlan. James Coughlan, Pascal Kellaghan and Scott Brady step out.

Thomas Deehan also returns to the starting line-up after a point-scoring contribution when replacing Kellaghan last week.

Monaghan are top of the division with a perfect record, while Offaly have won three and lost two of their matches - making victory essential if they are to receive a decent position after the league restructuring process.

In the National Hurling League, most team announcements have been delayed until closer to throw-in with Kilkenny manager Brian Cody to select this evening for their meeting with Galway. Ger Loughnane's Galway line-up will become apparent when they take the field.

Cody must again plan without the Ballyhale Shamrocks trio Henry Shefflin, James Cha Fitzpatrick and TJ Reid. Shefflin is getting married.

TYRONE (SF v Kerry):P McConnell; R McMenamin, P Donnelly, D Carlin; D Harte, C Gormley, J McMahon; K Hughes, E McGinley; B Dooher, M Penrose, R Mellon; N Gormley, C McCullagh, S O'Neill.

DERRY (SF v Down):B Gillis; K McGuckin, K McCloy, R Murray; P O'Hea, SM Lockhart, G O'Kane; F Doherty, J Conway; B McGoldrick, C Gilligan, Paddy Bradley; R Wilkinson, E Muldoon, Paul Bradley.

CORK (SF v Fermanagh):P O'Shea; O Sexton, M Shields, K O'Connor; N O'Leary, G Spillane, A Lynch; D Kavanagh, N Murphy; S O'Brien, A O'Connor, K MacMahon; J Masters, M Cussen, K O'Sullivan.

OFFALY (SF v Monaghan):P Kelly; G Rafferty, J Quinn, J Keane; P McConway, S Sullivan, K Slattery; A McNamee (capt), N Smith; T Coughlan, N Coughlan, C McManus; T Deehan, PJ Ward, N McNamee.

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey

Gavin Cummiskey is The Irish Times' Soccer Correspondent