Monaghan name unchanged team for Ulster final

Waterford back at full strength for qualifier against Wexford

Ulster champions Monaghan have named an unchanged team for Sunday's Ulster final against Donegal. The side that started the semi-final replay defeat of Armagh has been given the go-ahead by manager Malachy O'Rourke and sees Stephen Gallogly and Paul Finlay, who were late inclusions before the Armagh match, again lining out in the half forwards.

Also included are two injury concerns Dermot Malone and Kieran Hughes but Malone's wrist injury has proved not to be serious whereas Hughes is deemed fit despite a knee injury that has restricted his training since the semi-final victory.

The side, which is on the verge of the county's first back-to-back Ulster titles since 1930, shows three changes from the team that last year and against the same opposition picked up the county's first Ulster title in 25 years. Into the side come Ryan Wylie. Fintan Kelly and Dick Clerkin in place of Kieran Duffy, Neil McAdam and Owen Lennon.

Duffy is named on the bench but Lennon, last year's captain, has still to shake off fully the ankle injury that he sustained in the league Division Two final victory, also against Donegal, last April. McAdam has been in Australia for most of the last year.

READ MORE

There was still no word on Jim McGuinness’s Donegal selection last night but there aren’t believed to be any late injury concerns.

Sunday’s final will be the first in 21 years to feature a repeat pairing. That also involved Donegal, who on the way to the county’s first All-Ireland success in 1992, defeated Derry in the Ulster decider. A year later the outcome was reversed and Derry went on to win their first All-Ireland.

Waterford team

Meanwhile Waterford hurling manager Derek McGrath has been able to name a full-strength team for tomorrow’s eagerly awaited All-Ireland qualifier round two against

Wexford

, who a week ago eliminated the All-Ireland champions Clare.

There had been concerns in the county that Wednesday night's unexpected defeat by Cork in the Munster under-21 semi-final might create some injury difficulties for the seniors but in the end McGrath was able to name a full-strength selection, as all four seniors who featured on the under-21s – Tadhg de Búrca, Colin Dunford, Jake Dillon and Austin Gleeson – came through unscathed.

This means the return of Noel Connors who missed the first round win over Laois because of an injury picked up in the Munster quarter-final replay defeat by Cork when he aggravated a groin injury sustained during the warm-up.

Connors’s return frees up Pádraig Prendergast, who is switched to centrefield, with Shane O’Sullivan named at wing forward, Jake Dillon in the full forwards and Ryan Donnelly, corner forward the last day, reverting to the bench.

Seán Moran

Seán Moran

Seán Moran is GAA Correspondent of The Irish Times