Woods keeps place despite Lohan's return

Brian Lohan is back in the Clare team after suspension and Fergus Tuouhy retains his position in attack for the replay of the…

Brian Lohan is back in the Clare team after suspension and Fergus Tuouhy retains his position in attack for the replay of the All-Ireland hurling semi-final against Offaly on Saturday.

In football, Galway select Kevin Walsh at midfield for their semi-final against Derry on Sunday but leave the right half forward position vacant while Derry have made two changes in personnel from the team which beat Donegal in the Ulster final.

Lohan's return to the Clare team after serving a one-month suspension means that Richard Woods, who was brought into the side for the drawn match to deputise for Lohan, keeps his place in the side but at midfield where he replaces Colin Lynch, who has been suspended for three months.

The broken thumb which P J O'Connell sustained in the drawn match keeps him out of the side and Tuohy plays at centre forward. He came in as a substitute in the drawn match and made a big impact, scoring 1-2. After considerable doubts about his fitness, Liam Doyle is included in the side in his normal right half back position.

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The absence of O'Connell results in a shuffle in the attack which now has David Forde in the right half forward position and Ger O'Loughlin at full forward where he will be flanked by Alan Markham and Niall Gilligan.

The changes on the Derry team involve Emmet McKeever coming in at left half back in place of David O'Neill, who has not recovered from injury, and Enda Gormley replacing Joe Cassidy at left corner forward. Derry are happy that they have a very strong panel of substitutes which includes Cassidy, Paul Diamond, Fergal McCusker, Dermot Heaney and Geoffrey McGonigle - all of whom have played at the highest level and are fit for action.

Galway supporters will be encouraged by the selection of Walsh at midfield although sources close to the team suggest that he may not have fully recovered from the calf muscle injury he picked up in the replay of the Connacht final against Roscommon.

He has been having daily treatment for the injury since and his training schedule has been severely restricted.

Kildare goalkeeper Christy Byrne has improved his chances of being fit in time for the second All-Ireland football semi-final against Kerry on Sunday week. The hamstring injury he sustained while taking part in a training match is not as serious as was first thought. He has been receiving specialist treatment at a clinic in Newry.

Meanwhile, preparations for the International Rules matches between Ireland and Australia continue on Saturday when a familiarisation training session will take place in Portlaoise under the guidance of manager Colm O'Rourke.

Two panels from Connacht and Ulster took part in a session in Cavan last weekend and this time it is the turn of Leinster and Munster.

Junior teams from 32 counties and hurling teams from 24 will take part in this year's St Jude's "Sevens" next month. The hurling tournament will be played on the eve of the hurling All-Ireland and the football two weeks later on the eve of the football final.

The defending champions are Argideen Rangers from Cork and Tyholland from Monaghan.

This year also sees the start of a women's competition later in the year with 16 teams entered.