Footballers continue their preparations for the league

GAELIC GAMES/News round-up: A number of inter-county teams will this weekend continue to fine-tune their preparations for the upcoming National Football Leagues on Sunday week.

The Mayo footballers return tomorrow from a winter holiday in the Canaries in time to meet Leitrim on Sunday in the latest round of the Connacht League. In the meantime, manager Pat Holmes indicated that Kieran McDonald is unlikely to feature in the defence of their National League title, which starts with a visit to Connacht rivals Sligo.

Now based in Galway, McDonald also missed last year's league campaign - mostly through injury - although he did play a key role in Crossmolina's All-Ireland club victory. He also featured in Mayo's championship run that ended with the All-Ireland qualifier defeat to Westmeath.

New Leitrim manager Declan Rowley is seeking his first win in the Connacht League. Galway, meanwhile, renew their rivalry with Roscommon in Ballinasloe although manager John O'Mahony will be without a number of his All-Ireland winning side including Michael Donnellan, Ja Fallon and Tomas Mannion.

In Munster, Clare and Waterford meet in the McGrath Cup final at Miltown-Malbay in what promises to be an eagerly contested match.

Clare will be particularly keen to maintain some winning form ahead of their NFL Division 1B season, which opens with a game against Derry.

Manager Pat Begley was satisfied with his side's four-point semi-final win over Limerick last weekend, but there is an injury worry over Brian Considine. Begley has already lost the services of Joe Considine (who opted for hurling) and the injured Barry Keating and Peadar McMahon.

Opponents Waterford, who are under the new management of Corkman Denis Walsh, are now just one game away from winning the McGrath Cup honour for the first time in 20 years. They came through after beating Tipperary in last weekend's semi-final, and it thus becomes a preview to the championship opener next May.

Walsh's team shows one change from the side that defeated Tipperary with Brian Wall taking over from Richie Hennessy at wing back.

Wayne Hennessy retains his place in attack having been given a late call-up last time out when Conan Watt opted to play with the hurlers in the AIB tournament.

The Dublin footballers also have one final tune-up before their highly anticipated league opener against Offaly when they meet Cavan in a challenge at Breffni Park on Sunday.

One player out of contention is Colin Moran as he is recovering from a back injury but is expected to return for the league game.

In hurling, meanwhile, new Offaly manager Father Tom Fogarty has only a skeleton squad for the Walsh Cup meeting with Dublin in Parnell Park on Sunday.

The entire Birr contingent are ruled out due to their All-Ireland club semi-final preparations and Kevin Martin and Brendan Murphy are currently injured, adding to the loss of full-back Kevin Kinahan, who recently retired.

With Johnny Dooley also gone to Buenos Aires with the All Star team, Stephen Byrne, Hubert Rigney and John Troy are the only players available from last year's championship clash with Kilkenny.Waterford hurlers face Waterford IT in a challenge match at Fenor on Sunday morning at 11.30 a.m.

MAYO SF (v Leitrim) P Burke; J Nallen, G Mullins, G Ruane; A Higgins, D Heaney, N Connelly; S Trench, D Tiernan; D Nestor, S Carolan, J Gill; M McNicholas, J Horan, C Mortimer. Subs: D Clark, T Nallen, K Mortimer, S Fitzmaurice, M Mullins, R Loftus, O Conway, D McDonagh, D Higgins, A Roche.

WATERFORD SF (v Clare) P Houlihan; M Crotty, M Fitzgerald, K Coffey; T Dunphy, J Hearn, B Wall; R Power, J Hennessy; C Power, L Dalton, W Hennessy; G Power, G Hurney, F Halpin. Subs: D Lenane, G Hayes, Richie Hennessy, D Kirwan, S Walsh, A Power, N Curran, Ray Hennessy, M Ahern