GAELIC GAMES/Championship 2007:The Laois defence has been disrupted by the loss of Darren Rooney to a cruciate knee-ligament tear that looks certain to end the dual player's interest in the football championship.
Laois play Derry on Saturday evening in Breffni Park, the reward for victory a place in the All-Ireland quarter-finals.
Rooney sustained the injury late in the Leinster final defeat to Dublin on July 15th but the full damage became apparent only after a scan.
Rooney also criticised the Dublin players for what he saw as unsporting conduct in that game.
"Excuses have been made for the Dublin players since, trying to cover it up," he said in reference to showboating and taunts. "It is there, it is part of the game - but it shouldn't be part of it.
"Without a doubt it was hard to take but we weren't getting dirty. We were beaten and taking it but for them to make a laugh of it . . ."
Rooney also accused members of the Dublin backroom of making provocative physical contact.
"Some of our medical staff got the height of abuse from Dublin players. I was on the ground getting treated and before that. . . Dublin backroom staff were coming in off the line and one fella came in and jostled me.
"We'd all know those Dublin lads, but after what happened it will be hard to look them in the face again."
When Laois manager Liam Kearns sits down tonight with his selectors, Tommy Conroy and Seán Dempsey, Tom Kelly will probably be moved to full back and Aidan Fennelly coming back from injury to start at half back.
Kelly was wearing number three for the Leinster final but soon took up his more familiar centre-back role, which allows him to regularly join the attack.
Several other changes, at least positional, are expected. For certain, Barry Brennan will not feature; the Graiguecullen forward has quit the panel. Noel Garvan is back in training after damaging an ankle against Longford on June 2nd. He is likely to be named among the substitutes.
Derry welcome back team captain Kevin McGuckin, who has recovered from a fractured ankle.
The Ulster Competitions Control Committee have refused to overturn the result of the provincial minor final despite an objection from Derry in relation to a disputed Tyrone point.
John Crofton has stepped down as Kildare football manager after two years that ended with a home defeat to Louth in round two of the qualifiers.
Kildare County Board chairman Syl Merrins said, "Kildare County Board would like to thank John, not only for the last two years, but indeed for a lifetime of service where he played with distinction for many years. We wish him well in all future endeavours."
Donegal football manager Brian McIver will decide this evening on the fitness of Barry Dunnion (hernia) and Paddy McConigley (eye). Both wing backs are rated doubtful for Saturday's meeting with Monaghan in Omagh, but forwards Michael Hegarty, Brian Roper and Colm McFadden are back in contention. Both sides lost to Tyrone in the Ulster championship, Donegal by 11 points and Monaghan by two points in the provincial final.
In hurling, Limerick manager Richie Bennis will not appeal his one-match suspension ahead of Sunday's All-Ireland quarter-final against Clare.
But he remains critical of the Central Hearings Committee after receiving a "five-minute hearing" last Thursday over an incident in the third Limerick-Tipperary game when he entered the field to remonstrate with the referee about stopping the play to allow attention to Mark Foley.
"Mark needed four stitches and they scored a goal while he was down," said Bennis. "That's what really annoyed us on the line. The doctor told me he (Foley) needed attention, and considering the referee had apologised for playing on when Damien Reale went down earlier in the game I felt obliged to protect my player.
"For the hearing there were 12 to 14 people in the room - a very intimidating situation for anyone. I was disappointed that I ate so much humble pie as I apologised and stated it would never happen again. I told them this might be my last chance to manage a Limerick team in Croke Park."
The next step would be an appeal but Bennis has no interest: "I wouldn't lower myself. Limerick and Tipp have done an awful lot for hurling this summer and this is the treatment."
Reale suffered concussion in the aforementioned incident but the Limerick captain makes a return to the full-back line this weekend. The only other change sees Kevin Tobin preferred to Barry Foley at left corner forward.
Clare are not expected to name a team until Sunday. The returning Tony Griffin is set to be on the bench. Brendan Bugler is expected to retain the centre-back slot in the absence of the injured Gerry Quinn.
Wexford and Tipperary have named the same teams they picked for last week's postponed quarter-final so Eoin Kelly, despite having had another week to recover from a groin problem, remains on the Tipperary bench.
LIMERICK (SH v Clare):B Murray; D Reale, S Lucey, S Hickey; P Lawlor, B Geary, M Foley; D O'Grady, M O'Brien; M Fitzgerald, O Moran, N Moran; A O'Shaughnessy, B Begley, K Tobin.
TIPPERARY (SH v Wexford):G Kennedy; E Buckley, D Fanning, A Byrne; E Corcoran, C O'Mahony, S Maher; H Maloney, S Butler; J Carroll, B Dunne, D Hickey; L Corbett, D Egan, W Ryan.
WEXFORD (SH v Tipperary):D Fitzhenry; M Travers, K Rossiter, P Roche; R Kehoe, D Ruth, D Lyng; D Stamp, R McCarthy; E Quigley, M Jordan, S Nolan; B Lambert, M Jacob, R Jacob.
