Canavan winning race to be match fit

Championship 2005 News round-up: Seeing Peter Canavan back training this week gave his fellow Tyrone players a much-needed boost before they attempt to beat Armagh all over again this Saturday.

Canavan went into the drawn Ulster final on July 17th with a rib injury that was exacerbated early on, forcing manager Mickey Harte to replace him at half-time with his son, Mark.

"We knew about it but hoped it wouldn't hold him back," said Harte. "Peter was hoping he could cope with the pain after the warm up and as the adrenalin of the game got going it would subside. However, it got sorer as the game went on."

He took no part in training last week and, although not involved in any contact sessions this week, Harte is confident of making a positive decision tonight. "He is moving in the right direction and is fit to take some part we hope," he added.

If Canavan fails to recover sufficiently then at least Harte has a number of decent replacements. Owen Mulligan has been unable to regain a starting berth this year, while Mark Harte and Joe McMahon were introduced the last day.

Colm McCullough is definitely not available after he sustained a broken hand playing club football last weekend. He will be back in four to six weeks.

Armagh are expected to name Philip Loughran at midfield in place of the injured John Toal when they also name tonight. Other players pushing hard for inclusion from the start will be Paddy McKeever, John McEntee, Malachy Mackin and Ciarán McKeever.

On the hurling front, Kilkenny were fearing the worst last night when it appeared as if the season was over for sterling defender Noel Hickey.

News from a well-informed source close to the team suggested that Hickey had undergone a series of tests recently, and a virus was the cause of the problem which appears to have finished his season.

The 26-year-old won All-Irelands with Kilkenny in 2000, 2002 and 2003 and he was at full back on the National League winning side against Clare in May.

Serious doubt also surrounds team captain Peter Barry, who has not trained since the Leinster final victory over Wexford.

Waterford select a team tonight to play Cork for the second time this summer without the suspended Eoin McGrath.

In the other quarter-final this Sunday, both Clare and Wexford are resisting naming teams due to a number of injuries. Adrian Fenlon did train with Wexford on Tuesday night but Clare wait on Tony Griffin and Alan Markham.

Last night's Leinster under-21 hurling final has disrupted the plans of interim Dublin hurling manager Tommy Naughton ahead of the relegation play-off against Laois in Carlow this Saturday as his panel only gets together tomorrow.

"It is a good thing being in the Leinster under-21 final so these things just happen," said Naughton. "Laois have given us a good trimming twice this summer so it will be difficult. Paudie Butler has done a good job in the last three years but we are keen to stay in the Liam McCarthy Cup."

If Dublin lose they will have one more chance at redemption against the losers of the Offaly and Antrim match, who meet in Croke Park this Saturday.

Damien Fitzhenry and Davy Fitzgerald will have a renowned opponent when the M Donnelly All-Ireland Poc Fada final returns to the Annaverna mountain on July 30th as Niall Quinn will be in direct opposition. Quinn, a Leinster winning minor with Dublin in 1983, also played Gaelic football before joining Arsenal.