Curran back for Dublin

Paul Curran returns to the Dublin team to play Kildare in Sunday's National League quarter-final at wing back having missed Dublin's final regulation league game against Cork for personal reasons. Curran replaces the suspended Paul Croft in the only change to the team for the game at Croke Park.

Senan Connell and Jim Gavin have both been named in Tom Carr's line-up although concerns remain over the fitness of Connell, who picked up a knee injury in the Cork match. Gavin gets the opportunity to test his match fitness after only recently returning from a broken bone in his hand. Peter Ward and Mick O'Keeffe, who replaced both players during that final regulation game, return to the bench.

Kildare's stalwart central defender Glen Ryan could receive an immediate recall for Sunday's game, despite being out of competitive football for almost two weeks.

Mick O'Dwyer named the Kildare team last night, but left the wing back position, usually occupied by John Finn, vacant as he attempts to assess the impact of several key injuries within the squad. Although Finn did train, albeit lightly, in Newbridge last night, the management team is concerned that he may not be fully ready for the match and they may well look to Ryan, who is fit again after spending eight weeks recovering from a dead leg he picked up against Laois.

Ryan's imminent return is the one bright spot for the lilywhites in what has been a troublesome few weeks. Regular goalkeeper Christy Byrne was injured against Monaghan and has yet to regain fitness, while Anthony Rainbow suffered groin trouble against Meath in Kildare's final league game, and has yet to resume training. Willie McCreery, the team's influential midfielder, is still out with ligament worries, meaning that O'Dwyer has opted for the relatively light central pairing of Martin Lynch and Niall Buckley.

Dermot Earley, who played at midfield against Meath, reverts to wing forward. Martin Ryan comes in at corner back for the injured Rainbow, while Emmet Mulhall has been shifted to full-back.

Meath have strengthened their midfield for their quarter-final against Kerry with the return of John McDermott, who will reform a formidable alliance with Nigel Nestor at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. Richard Kealy loses out.

McDermott's sometime midfield partner Jimmy McGuinness moves to wing forward, meaning Meath ought to have the aerial artillery to combat the Kerry duo of Dara O Se and Donal Daly.

Meath will be without the services of defender Enda McManus, who is getting married tomorrow. Tommy Dowd, who broke a bone in his foot a fortnight ago while playing a challenge match for his club remains on the injured list.

Derry's dual star Geoffrey McGonigle faces a potentially hectic weekend. As expected, McGonigle has been named at half-forward on the football team which plays Cork in a National League quarter-final on Sunday but as of last night, it was still unclear whether or not McGonigle intended travelling to London with the county hurling squad for their league game tomorrow. The footballers have brought in the crew-cut McGonigle along with Ronan Rocks to replace Dermot Dougan, who was sent off against Laois and Seamus Downey, who sustained a fractured jaw in the same match. Captain Anthony Tohill is listed at wing forward, leaving the midfield berth to Ruairi Boylan and Enda Muldoon.

Sligo will face Armagh without their under-21 regulars, full back Noel McGuire, left half-forward Sean Davey and right corner forward John McPartland.

Drumcliffe's Colin White will line out at number three, while Pascal Bree, from the St Mary's club, is named at corner-forward, the only Sligo town player on the team.

All Star footballer, Declan Brown returns to the Tipperary hurling team for their league tie against Laois tomorrow. Brown missed last Sunday's win over Cork because of his involvement with the Munster footballers. He regains his place at the expense of William Maher.

Kevin Kinahan and Joe Dooley, neither of whom has played since last year's All-Ireland final, are back in the Offaly team for tomorrow's league fixture against Dublin at Birr. There are also recalls for Brian Whelahan, Daithi Regan and Killian Farrell. John Ryan, who is injured, and the suspended Simon Whelahan miss out.

DERRY (SF v Cork): E McCloskey; S Donnelly, D O'Neill, SM Lockhart,; F Crossan, J McBride, G Coleman; R Boylan, E Muldoon; A Tohill, G McGonigle, D Heaney; J Brolly, D Bateson, R Rocks.

KILDARE (SF v Dublin): E Murphy; M Ryan, E Mulhall, K Doyle; AN Other, R Quinn, D Maher; N Buckley, M Lynch; E McCormack, D Kerrigan, D Earley; P Graven, K O'Dwyer, C Sheridan.

DUBLIN (SF v Kildare): D Byrne; P Moran, S Ryan, P Christie; P Curran, I Robertson, T Lynch; C Whelan, E Sheehy; S Connell, D Darcy, B Stynes; N O'Donoghue, D Farrell, J Gavin.

MEATH (SF v Kerry): C Sullivan; M O'Reilly, D Fay, C Murphy; P Reynolds, H Treanor, D Curtis; N Nestor, J McDermott; J McGuinness, J Devine, G Geraghty; R McGee, N Crawford, O Murphy.

SLIGO (SF v Armagh): P Walsh; J Joyce, C White, M Cosgrove; R Keane, N Clancy, T McGuinn; P Durcan, E O'Hara; B Walsh, D Sloyane, K Killeen; P Bree, P Taylor, G McGowan.

DONEGAL (U-21 v Down): G McGill; E Reddin, S O'Donnell, B Boyle; M Gurn, A McClafferty, A Brennan; S Ward, B Monaghan; M Hegarty, A Gallagher, JP Boyle; G Blake, JP Gallagher, J McCafferty.

OFFALY (SH v Dublin): S Byrne; P Mulhare, K Kinahan, M Hanamy; B Whelahan, H Rigney, K Martin; J Pilkington, B Whelahan; Johnny Dooley, D Regan, K Farrell; M Duignan, J Errity and Joe Dooley.

TIPPERARY (SH v Laois): K O'Brien; E Corcoran, F Heney, L Sheedy; R Ryan, D Kennedy, C Bonner; T Dunne, E Enright; AN Other, G Maguire, J Leahy; L Cahill, P Kelly, D Brown. Subs: F Horgan, M Ryan, G Frend, A Ryan, D Carr, P Kelly, W Maher, B O'Meara, D Ryan.

CORK (SH v Down ): D Og Cusack; F Ryan, D O'Sullivan, J Browne; M Landers, B Corcoran, P Ryan; D Murphy, J Sheehan; S McGrath, F McCormack, T McCarthy; B O'Connor, S Farrell, J Deane.