Galway take defensive action

Gaelic Games: Galway have moved to rectify weaknesses apparent in the league final defeat by Kerry earlier this month. Goalkeeper Alan Keane and corner back Micheál Comer are dropped for this weekend's first defence of the Connacht title, against London in Ruislip.

The team conceded three goals the last day - the first one with which Keane, an All-Ireland winner in 2001, would have been particularly disappointed - and were under pressure in the full-back line.

Replacement Brian Donoghue shared the number one jersey with Keane earlier in the league, although the latter had been the first choice for the concluding matches, including the league play-off matches against Tyrone and Kerry.

Although still under-21, Donoghue is an experienced goalkeeper who played in last year's Connacht final and All-Ireland quarter-final replay.

Comer's omission means a call-up for Clive Monaghan.

The other change from the defeat by Kerry sees Matthew Clancy, unable to train properly over the past few weeks due to injury and exam commitments and now suffering from a dead leg, make way for Nicky Joyce at corner forward.

This is an experienced selection with only Monaghan and left-wing forward John Devane starting a championship match for the first time.

Last year's captain Kevin Walsh has resumed training after breaking a toe twice in recent months but will not play any part in Sunday's match.

London won't be making any decision about their team until this evening because of a number of injuries afflicting team manager John McParland.

Sligo have reacted more forcefully than their opponents to last weekend's draw with Roscommon. Manager James Kearins makes four changes to the team, one enforced due to full back Patrick Naughton aggravating a hip injury in the drawn match.

He is indirectly replaced by David Durkin with Noel McGuire moving to full back. Tactical changes include the other wing of the defence, where Pádraig Doohan replaces Philip Gallagher. Brian Curran also comes in at wing forward for Kieran Quinn and the experienced Paul Taylor comes in for only his second start of the season as an indirect replacement for Gary Maye.

Eamonn O'Hara, who did much to turn around Roscommon's domination of centrefield, starts there tomorrow.

Roscommon make just the one change. David Casey was injured 10 minutes before half-time in the drawn match and his replacement, Paul Noone, is named in his position at right-wing back.

In the weekend's other replay in Ulster, Cavan have named an unchanged side. There had been suggestions that Dermot McCabe might come back into the reckoning but although he is named among the replacements, he is considered unlikely to make an appearance, as his knee injury has still not cleared up.

Similarly former Melbourne Demons player Nick Walsh remains in dry dock with serious hamstring damage.

Opponents Down have also named the same team as started the drawn match in Casement Park.

Ryan McMenamin will deputise for Brian Dooher as captain of Tyrone when the All-Ireland champions meet Fermanagh on Sunday week. Dooher injured a medial ligament in a club game earlier this week and could be out of action for a month.

McMenamin will be the county's fourth captain in less than a year after the injury to Peter Canavan, who lifted the Sam Maguire last September, the death of his successor Cormac McAnallen and the injury to Dooher.

Meath hurling is in a state of turmoil, meanwhile, after the submission of a letter of protest from a number of senior players who are complaining about the county management. Manager John Hunt is in his first year, having replaced Michael Duignan before the start of this season. Meath have already been defeated in the Leinster championship by Laois and are due to play Roscommon in the All-Ireland B championship. The county board will consider the situation in the coming days.

GALWAY (SF v London)

B Donoghue; K Fitzgerald, G Fahey, C Monaghan; D Meehan (capt), P Clancy, S de Paor; J Bergin, S Ó Domhnaill; T Joyce, M Donnellan, J Devane; M Meehan, P Joyce, N Joyce.

SLIGO (SF v Roscommon)

P Greene; J Martyn, N McGuire, B Phillips; D Durkin, M Langan, P Doohan; E O'Hara, S Davey; B Curran, M Brehony, M McNamara; D Sloyan, P Taylor, G McGowan.

ROSCOMMON (SF v Sligo)

S Curran; J Whyte, M Ryan, J Nolan; P Noone, F Grehan, J Rogers; S O'Neill, S Lohan; G Cox, N Dineen, D Connellan; G Heneghan, K Mannion, F Dolan.

DOWN (SF v Cavan)

M McVeigh; M Higgins, A Molloy, A Scullion; J Clarke, M Cole, S Farrell; B Coulter, G McCartan; L Doyle, S Ward, R Sexton; E McCartan, D Gordon, D Hughes.

CAVAN (SF v Down)

E Elliott; E Reilly, D Rabbit, P Brady; A Forde, T Crowe, A Gaynor; P McKenna, C Collins; L Reilly, M Lyng, M McKeever; G Pearson, J O'Reilly, S Johnston. Subs: A Donohue, R Donohue, A Coleman, K Crotty, S Maguire, M Brides, F O'Reilly, D McCabe, C McGovern, S Smith, S Brady, P Reilly, S Cole, E Jackson.