GAA:Eoghan O'Gara has been named in the Dublin team for tomorrow's All Ireland Senior Football Championship quarter-final against Tyrone at Croke Park, a little over three weeks after allegedly fracturing/breaking his wrist in the Leinster final victory over Wexford.
The injury seemed to cast doubts about whether he would play again in this season’s championship, never mind popping up for the next game. However the player's participation is by no means guaranteed and some would say unlikely. He faces a fitness test ahead of the match. Dubs' boss Pat Gilroy confirmed: "They took off the cast on Wednesday evening and it was fine; it had healed well.
"He'll have a light protective cast over it and again we'll fully test it out tomorrow. It is probably a week or two quicker than anyone could have expected. We're very happy but we have to test it (the injury) out fully to see if he can take contact." Michael Darragh Macauley (broken finger) and Philly McMahon (knee) will also undergo late fitness tests to ascertain whether they will be included in the substitutes.
There is one change to the starting team with Kilmacud Crokes defender Cian O’Sullivan named at left corner back in place of Paul Conlon who drops down to the substitutes. O’Sullivan has been plagued by hamstring problems but showed no signs of the injury when impressing in recent training sessions.
He’s played most of his football at centre half back and is likely to see some action there, whether at the start or later in the game. Barry Cahill was widely tipped to be included from the throw-in but according to the team selection, that conjecture seems wide of the mark.
Dublin (SF v Tyrone): S Cluxton; M Fitzsimons, R O'Carroll, C O'Sullivan; J McCarthy, G Brennan, K Nolan; D Bastick, E Fennell; P Flynn, A Brogan, B Cullen (capt); E O'Gara, D Connolly, B Brogan.
Tyrone (SF v Dublin): P McConnell; M Swift, Joe McMahon, Justin McMahon; Sean O'Neill, C Gormley, P Jordan; K Hughes, S Cavanagh; C Cavanagh, B McGuigan, P Harte; M Penrose, M Donnelly, O Mulligan.