Tyrone's attack kept intact for final

Mickey Harte has kept faith with the Tyrone team that obliterated Cavan in the Ulster semi-final replay. This means for the first time this year key attackers Peter Canavan, Brian Dooher and Brian McGuigan start consecutive games together.

Regular goalkeeper Pascal McConnell has failed to recover from a ribs/sternum injury sustained in the drawn Ulster semi-final, so John Devine is retained for Sunday's trip to Dublin.

Conor Gormley continues to partner Seán Cavanagh at midfield, but Owen Mulligan fails to regain a starting berth in a hugely talented attack that sees one newcomer this season in Martin Penrose at left half forward. Penrose excelled at centre forward in the league, but since McGuigan's return from Australia has been shifted to the wing.

Canavan was named the Ulster writers' GAA player of the month for the seventh time yesterday. The first award came in April 1991 when he captained the Tyrone under-21s to All-Ireland glory. He kicked 1-7 against Cavan in a performance that rubbished suggestions his best days at intercounty level are past.

The last Ulster final between Tyrone and Armagh was in 1984, a game that will always be remembered for the 11 points scored by Frank McGuigan, father of Brian. Famously, he kicked five points from each foot and punched another.

Armagh keep the family traditions alive: manager Joe Kernan played that day, and his son Aaron starts his first Ulster final this weekend, while a younger son, Stephen, is on the bench.

Mayo manager John Maughan has made three changes to the team that beat Roscommon for Sunday's Connacht football final against Galway at Pearse Stadium.Peadar Gardiner and Trevor Mortimer return to the starting line-up, with Gary Mullins and Stephen Carolan missing out. Gardiner has recovered from injury to take up his wing back slot. Mortimer joins his brother Conor and Billy Joe Padden in the full-forward line.

The full-back line so cruelly exposed by Kerry in last year's All-Ireland final is named once more as Keith Higgins's dislocated elbow gives Dermot Geraghty a reprieve at corner back.

Ronan McGarrity, who was the rookie in last year's midfield battle between the two sides, is now the elder statesman as retirements and injury have taken David Brady, Kevin Walsh and Joe Bergin out of the picture.

Wexford manager Pat Roe moves corner back Niall Murphy to the square's edge ahead of the second round football qualifier against Monaghan this Saturday in Clones. The move is enforced by the departure to the USA of regular full back Philip Wallace. Darragh Breen regains a starting berth in his absence.

Captain John Hudson is back in the starting line-up after injury, replacing Paddy Colfer at left half forward with Diarmuid Kinsella moving to full forward.

Meanwhile, the draw for the first round of the Tommy Murphy cup will take place tonight at 7pm on RTÉ radio.

With 11 teams in the draw, there will be three fixtures in the first round (involving the first six teams drawn), the remaining five teams receiving byes to the quarter-finals. The competing teams are London, Roscommon, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wicklow, Longford, Tipperary, Waterford, Fermanagh, Antrim, and Wexfordor Monaghan.

Leitrim have opted out.

The three first-round games take place on the weekend of July 16th, the winners advancing to the last eight on the weekends of July 30th and August 6th. The semi-finals are scheduled for August 20th-21st and the final will be played in Croke Park as a curtain-raiser to the All-Ireland football semi-final on September 4th.

To avoid last year's mass withdrawals, counties face the loss of grants if they pull out. Leitrim have a new club championship format in place and want all intercounty players with their clubs.

Limerick have drawn Antrim, while Wexford face Galway in the minor hurling quarter-finals due to take place July 23rd-24th.

Galway have made two changes to the side that beat Antrim for Saturday's hurling qualifier against Limerick. Centre forward David Forde returns from injury, and Fergal Healy comes in at midfield.

TYRONE(SFC v Armagh): J Devine; R McMenamin, C Lawn, S Sweeney; D Harte, G Devlin, P Jordan; C Gormley, S Cavanagh; B Dooher (capt), B McGuigan, M Penrose; P Canavan, S O'Neill, E McGinley.

MAYO(SFC v Galway): D Clarke; D Geraghty, D Heaney, G Ruane; C Moran, J Nallen, P Gardiner; R McGarrity, S Fitzmaurice; A Moran, C McDonald (capt), A Dillon; C Mortimer, BJ Padden, T Mortimer.

WEXFORD(SFC v Monaghan): J Cooper; C Morris, N Murphy, D Breen; K Kennedy, D Murphy, P Curtis; N Lambert, D Fogarty; R Barry, S Cullen, J Hudson (capt); PJ Banville, D Kinsella, M Forde.

GALWAY(SHC v Limerick): L Donoghue (capt); D Joyce, S Kavanagh, C Coen; D Collins, D Hardiman, O Canning; T Regan, F Healy; R Murray, D Forde, D Tierney; G Farragher, K Hayes, D Hayes.