Fermanagh have seven players unavailable

THE omens are not good for Fermanagh. As if the prospect facing the defending champions - Peter Canavan et al - not fearsome enough, the dogs have been badly hit by a string of injuries in the run up to their televised Ulster football championship quarter final at Omagh on Saturday.

Seven players will be unavailable to manager Terry Ferguson from the side which fell by just four points to Tyrone at a similar stage of the campaign last year.

Full back Paddy McGuinness has managed just one club game since returning from a back injury, while centre half back Tony Collins and defender Raymond Curran, along with midfielder Brian Carty and forwards Paul Greene, Raymond Gallagher and Colm McCreesh, are all unavailable. Ciaran Donnelly is fighting to shake off a niggling injury, but should, make the team.

"Realistically, we are really up against it," said Ferguson, the former Meath player. "We have to go into the home of the All Ireland finalists and Ulster champions. Our biggest problem, apart from injuries, is that our confidence is shattered after our poor league run.

Fermanagh's form in the National League was disastrous, with just two wins - against Antrim and Sligo followed by a relegation play off defeat to Antrim, which resulted in the drop to Division Four for next season. Ferguson hopes to name his side after training tonight.

Tyrone will be without Seamus McCallan and Fergal Logan, but are in good shape otherwise as they bid to become the first county since Derry in 1976 to retain the Ulster title.

Meanwhile, All Ireland champions Dublin have a doubt surrounding the fitness of versatile midfielder cum attacker Paul Clarke, who sustained a chest injury in a match with Whitehall Colmcilles last week.

However, Clarke is expected to be available to assist Dublin's opening defence of their provincial and AllIreland titles against Westmeath at Pairc Tailteann, Navan on Sunday. Westmeath, managed by former Dublin player Barney Rock, have an injury worry hanging over Rory O'Connell who twisted his ankle in training over the weekend.

The curtain raiser at Navan is the meeting of Louth and Offaly. Louth have concerns over full back Gareth Byrne and centre half back John Donaldson, although both are expected to come through fitness tests at training tonight.

Offaly, meanwhile, have named Ronan Mooney at full forward and Vincent Claffey on the forty.

Connacht champions Galway are hopeful that centre half back Damien Mitchell, attacker Val Daly and midfielder Kevin Walsh, all of whom missed the drawn match with Sligo, will be available for the replay at Tuam on Sunday.

And manager Bosco McDermott is likely to have even further options open as Tomas Mannion and Fergal O'Neill, substitutes in that match, have shaken off injuries.

Sligo are expected to name an unchanged side. Full back John Lyons and midfielder Paul Durcan, who picked up knocks in the drawn game, are expected to be available to manager P J Carroll.

Meanwhile, Derry footballers and Tipperary hurlers are assessing the extent of injuries sustained by key players in last Sunday's victories over Armagh and Waterford, respectively. Derry will be relieved to hear that full forward Seamus Downey is expected to be available for his side's Ulster senior football championship semi final with either Tyrone or Fermanagh on June 30th.

Downey was forced to retire injured last Sunday with a suspected broken jaw - but medical examination has revealed that the forward's injuries are not quite as bad as initially feared, although he did sustain bruising and was concussed.

However, the Derry attacker has been told he should be able to resume training next week and will be fit in time for the next round of the championship.

But there is a doubt surrounding the availability of Tipperary half back Raymie Ryan for their Munster senior hurling championship semi final with Kerry, a match likely to be brought forward to Saturday June 22nd. Ryan injured his shoulder ligament in Sunday's game.