Donegal lose McGuinness as suspension is confirmed

Confirmation of a suspension for Jim McGuinness has ruled him out of the Donegal team to play Fermanagh in tomorrow's Round One football championship qualifier in Enniskillen. His enforced absence is one of three changes from the side that met the same opposition in the first round replay of the Ulster championship last month.

McGuinness was sent off while playing for Naomh Chonaill against MacCumhaills in a county league game last weekend and the referee's report handed to the Donegal country board yesterday made it clear that he had been given a straight red card. Coming into the attack in his absence will be Andrew Gallagher, who was an unused substitute in the counties' last meeting.

Gallagher will start at right corner forward and Adrian Sweeney, who started at full forward the last day, moves into McGuinness' position at wing forward. The other change in the attack sees Brian McLoughlin at full forward, while John McCafferty, who started at corner forward in the previous meeting, is dropped.

The other change in Mickey Moran's side is in defence. Martin Coll is given the centre back position with Raymond Sweeney losing out. Damien Diver started in that position the last day but now moves into wing back.

McGuinness, the UUJ Sigerson Cup-winning captain this year, will be a significant loss to Donegal's challenge. He has been the most consistent contributor to the Donegal scoring in recent years and his absence tomorrow represents a serious setback for Donegal.

Derry manager Eamon Coleman, meanwhile, was still finalising his team late last night for Sunday's Ulster semi-final meeting with Tyrone. It was reported that Coleman and his selectors were having major difficulty in deciding the starting 15, although there are no serious injury worries to contend with.

All five substitutes were used in the five-point win over Antrim in the quarter-final and it remains to be seen how many of them will get the call.

Meanwhile, Westmeath manager Luke Dempsey makes one enforced change for the Round One Qualifier replay against Wexford in Mullingar tomorrow. Wing back Damien Healy is ruled out through suspension after being red-carded in last weekend's drawn game, and David Hughes comes in as an indirect swap at midfield.

Paul Conway now moves to centre forward to make the space at midfield while Derek Heavin moves into the half back line. Further positional switches in the attack see Martin Flanagan starting at corner forward and Joe Fallon at wing forward.

DONEGAL (SF v Fermanagh): T Blake; P Campbell, E Doherty, N McGinley; M Crossan, M Coll, D Diver; J Gildea, P McGonigle; B Roper, M Hegarty, A Sweeney; A Gallagher, B McLoughlin, B Devenney.

WESTMEATH (SF v Wexford): C Mullin; J Keane, D Mitchell, F Murray; D Heavin, D Murphy, B Morley; R O'Connell, D Hughes; J Fallon, P Conway, M Ennis; M Flanagan, D Dolan, G Heavin.