McGeeney returns for Armagh

Team news: Kieran McGeeney is back in the Armagh team for this weekend's opening round of the All-Ireland football qualifier series.

The All-Ireland winning captain missed their unsuccessful start in the Ulster championship against Monaghan with a hamstring injury, and his reintroduction at centre back is one of four changes for Sunday's game against Waterford at Walsh Park.

Paul McCormack, the player who deputised in the half-back line, drops to the bench, and Philip Loughran is favoured over John Toal at midfield. Oisín McConville and Ronan Clarke return to the attack, replacing John McEntee (hamstring injury) and Paddy McKeever.

The selection means Armagh will start with 10 of the team who won the All-Ireland. Missing are Benny Tierney and Enda McNulty, as well as Toal, McEntee and McKeever.

Waterford, meanwhile, will start with the team that fell to Tipperary by three points by on May 25th.

Not surprisingly, Monaghan manager Colm Coyle has given a vote of confidence to the team that surprised Armagh last month for the Ulster quarter-final meeting with Down at Casement park. There is, however, one vacancy left, at wing back, as Vincent Corey was unavailable due to the two-month suspension received after last month's controversial Ulster under-21 final against Tyrone, and the position will be filled closer to Sunday.

Down have named Seán Ward at midfield despite concerns about his recovery from a collarbone injury, where he will partner Gregory McCartan. The bones of last year's team though remains, with 10 of the team that fell to Longford in last year's qualifiers set to start on Sunday.

In Connacht, Mayo manager John Maughan has handed championship debuts to two players for Sunday's football semi-final against Sligo at Markievicz Park. Gary Mullins is named at centre back, while former minor star Alan Dillon is at left half forward.

There is a vacancy at left corner back, and among the players that could be listed among the substitutes is former Dublin player Enda Sheehy, who is now part of the Mayo panel.

Sligo will finalise their team tonight, with Eamonn O'Hara (groin) and Neil Carew (hamstring) among the players carrying minor injury concerns.

Elsewhere, Westmeath will start Saturday's Leinster quarter-final replay against Meath with the same team that drew at Croke Park last Sunday. Forwards Fergal Wilson and JP Casey, who were substituted after failing to make the scoresheet, have retained their starting places.

Meath will wait until closer to Saturday before finalising their team as the injury concerns remain over defenders Darren Fay and Mark O'Reilly. Midfielder Nigel Crawford is back in the running for a starting place after injury, although Ollie Murphy, who last month suffered a broken bone in his shoulder, definitely won't feature.

There are several changes in the Cavan team for Sunday's football qualifier against Louth at Navan. In comes new goalkeeper James Reilly, Seán Brady is an indirect replacement for Seán Maguire in the half-forward line, with Pearse McKenna moving to midfield, and Finbar O'Reilly and Gerald Pierson replace Mickey Graham and Paul Gilligan in the full-forward line. The full forward position is left vacant as Jason O'Reilly awaits a late fitness test.

Elsewhere, Dublin forward Alan Brogan has escaped serious injury after his collision with the upright when scoring the only goal of Sunday's Leinster quarter-final win over Louth. X-rays confirmed no breaks, but he has severe bruising to his lower back and hip, and he remains a doubtful starter for the semi-final with Laois on Sunday week.

Finally, Clare midfielder Colin Lynch and Monaghan forward Paul Finlay were yesterday named as Vodafone hurler and footballer of the month for May, and will receive their awards in Dublin next Monday.

ARMAGH (SF v Waterford): P Hearty; A Mallon, J McNulty, F Bellow; A O'Rourke, K McGeeney, A McCann; P Loughran, P McGrane; D Marsden, B O'Hagan, O McConville; S McDonnell, R Clarke, T McEntee.

WATERFORD (SF v Armagh): P Houlihan; M Crotty, G Hayes, J O'Reilly; E Rockett, T Dunphy, S Briggs; K O'Keeffe, A Hubbart; G Hurny, C Power, J Coffey; J Aherne, J Hennessy, M Power.

DOWN (SF v Monaghan): M McVeigh; J Clarke, B Burns, B Grant; J Lavery, A Molloy, M Cole; S Ward, G McCartan; L Doyle, B Coulter, C McCrickard; M Walsh, D Gordon, R Murtagh.

MONAGHAN (SF v Down): G Murphy; JP Moone, P McKenna, D McKenna; AN Other, J Coyle, D Duffy; E Lennon, J Hughes; N Corrigan, T Freeman, P Finlay; M Slowey, R Ronaghan, D Freeman.

WESTMEATH: (SF v Meath): A Lennon; P Rouse, D Gavin, F Murray; B Morley, D Healy, D Heavin; R O'Connell, M Flanagan; F Wilson, S Colleary, J Fallon; JP Casey, G Dolan, D Dolan.

MAYO (SF v Sligo): P Burke; AN Other, J Nallen, G Ruane; A Higgins, G Mullins, F Costello; D Heaney, J Gill; T Mortimer, D Sweeney, A Dillon; C Mortimer, B Maloney, S Carolan.

CAVAN (SF v Louth): J Reilly; C Collins, T Prior, J Jordan; A Forde, P Reilly, M McKeever; P McKenna, D McCabe; S Brady, L Reilly, P Brady; F O'Reilly, AN Other, G Pierson.