DECLAN BONNER, out of action since he sustained an injury in April last year, has been selected at right full forward by manager P J McGowan for Sunday's Ulster football championship tie with Antrim in Ballybofey.
Bonner, who has also overcome a serious kidney problem, will line out alongside Tony Boyle and Manus Boyle. It means that Donegal will be fielding the full forward line that captured the county's first All-Ireland title in 1992.
McGowan introduces three debutants to championship football - Paul Callaghan, who takes over in goal from Gary Walsh, Sean McEwen at right halfback and the youngest player on the side, Adrian Sweeney, at left half forward.
Two surprises are the omission of Brian Roper from Ballyshannon and the recall of Jim McGuinness, who won an All-Ireland medal in 1992 as a member of the panel and was recently recalled to the squad after a two-year absence.
Antrim bring in two newcomers to championship action in their team - Gerald McCrarren at left corner back and David Smith at left corner forward.
Centre back Aidan Short is making his Antrim debut at the age of 35. Short was a member of the Armagh team which won the Ulster title in 1982 and has been working in Belfast for the past few years. He is one of a number of heavily experienced players who will line out against Donegal.
Six of the team have only recently made themselves available for selection: Locky McCurdy at right corner back, wing back Donal Armstrong - a survivor of Antrim's All-Ireland hurling final appearance in 1989, midfielders Chris Murphy and Paul McErlean, John Wilson at centre forward and left half forward Frank Wilson.
Johnny Wilson is back on the 40 after suspension. Among those missing the match are Gearoid Adams, who recently sustained a hamstring injury, Mickey Boyle and Kevin Madden, also injured.
Still in Antrim, news came yesterday of an approved grant of £2.2 million from the British government for the redevelopment of Casement Park. It is understood that the Croke Park authorities will sanction a substantial sum on top of that, leaving the county board with around £100,000 to raise for the project.
John Maughan, the Mayo manager, calls up two players without championship experience for Sunday's Connacht football tie against Galway in Tuam.
Peter Burke, of Kiltimagh the under-21 goalkeeper, replaces John Madden while Pat Holmes is replaced at wing back by Fergal Costelloe of Ballinrobe.
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