MEATH have sorted out most of their selection difficulties for Sunday's second preliminary round Leinster hurling championship match against Westmeath at Castletowngeoghegan. An experienced team has been chosen, with only full back Paddy Kelly unavailable because of holiday commitments (the match was originally scheduled for last week).

Kelly will be back on Saturday and is expected to sit on the bench, but won't be risked from the start. Another potential absentee, goalkeeper Mark Gannon, managed to dispose of a holiday he had booked and is free to take his place.

Injuries had threatened the places of both wing back John Gorry and corner forward Willie Donnelly, also a county title winning footballer with Skryne. Gorry's injured thumb passed muster at a couple of practices this week, while Donnelly has recovered from a bout of flu.

Otherwise the team is as expected, with Leinster Railway Cup hurlers Pat Potterton and David Martin on the half forward line.

One unusual angle on the match is that the manager from Westmeath will be in charge of Meath. It is a source of some nagging frustration to John Davis that one of his team's best records in League and championship is against his native county, but he is by now philosophical about it.

Davis played hurling for Brownstown and Westmeath and, up to a couple of years ago, an old friend of his, Noel Fitzsimons, was the Westmeath coach. Now the job is in the hands of one of hurling's most familiar travelling doctors, George Leahy from Kilkenny.

Westmeath already have the advantage of two championship matches under their belt from the first preliminary round against Carlow. The draw and replay, however, have left the team with a selection problem: midfielder Ollie Devine is suspended after getting the line last weekend. He is replaced by his brother Alfie.

They also have doubts about goalkeeper Seamus Lynch, who pulled a muscle in training this week. Brendan Keogh is likely to benefit if Lynch doesn't pass late fitness test.

The teams met two years ago in a match comfortably won by Meath, and know each other well from the numerous challenge matches between the counties and their clubs.

Meanwhile, Sligo football manager PJ Carroll is happy enough as his team prepare to do battle with Connacht champions Galway at the weekend. Last year Sligo held them to a draw but lost the replay. In the meantime, they have lost their place in Division Three, a perch they shared with their opponents.

"We ended on three points, Galway on five," says Carroll, "and we did reasonably well against the teams that went up, Monaghan and Mayo. I think we're better than last year. The team is stronger and we've hopefully rectified some of the mistakes made in the defence.

"Our forwards were light, fellas like (Eamonn) O'Hara and (Paul) Taylor, so it's good to be able to bring in a big player like Paul Newton. We also have someone who's six foot five in midfield, Con O'Meara, who could give us more strength there where (Kevin) Walsh (Galway midfielder injured for this match) gave us problems last year.

"A lot of the trouble was a lack of self belief, certainly the first day. It's the same with all the weaker counties. Last Sunday Tipp made a mistake for the Kerry goal and they stopped believing. It happens when you've been underdogs for the last 20 years," he said.

"Galway have two things going for them this year. They're reigning champions and they played well in Croke Park last year - although their own lack of self belief showed when they should have won the match.

"The only advantage we have is that we're complete underdogs and that takes the pressure off. And we're at home. Galway often don't travel that well or start championships well. We'll hope both are true on Sunday."