Diarmuid Marsden has failed in his bid to make the starting line-up for Sunday's Ulster football final in Clones. Although the Armagh All Star had not been expected to win his race against the clock to beat an ankle ligament injury picked up in the semifinal win over Fermanagh, his confirmed absence is a blow to the champions who defend their title against Derry.

Barry O'Hagan takes Marsden's place at full forward. O'Hagan came on as a substitute for Marsden in the Fermanagh match and acquitted himself well, scoring three points.

According to county secretary Patrick Nugent, Mardsen is "touch and go" as to whether he can play any role in Sunday's match but he has been named amongst the substitutes. In last year's semi-final between the teams, Marsden scored two points including the injury-time winner and his presence would have been as big a concern to Derry as it would have been a boost to Armagh.

The only other change sees Ger Reid come in at full back in place of John Donaldson. The Crossmaglen player had stepped in when Reid cried off injured before the first-round match against Tyrone and played well, but against Stephen Maguire of Fermanagh, Donaldson struggled and was replaced by - amongst others - Reid in an attempt to restrict the Belcoo player's influence.

Enda Muldoon, the Derry full forward, is a big, physical presence similar to Maguire and it was obviously felt that Reid represented a better bet in those circumstances. Last year he marked Muldoon quite well and that was also presumably a factor.

Derry make one change to the team which beat Antrim comfortably in a replay two weeks ago. Joseph Cassidy comes in for Seamus Downey in the attack. Downey was a late call-up for the last match but was replaced at half-time by Joe Brolly. Cassidy made an appearance the last day as a replacement for Johnny McBride and in the corresponding match last year, scored a point after coming on a substitute.

Compared to that match 12 months ago, Derry have made few enough changes. Damien McCusker has been replaced in goal by McCloskey but outfield there are only three differences. Eamonn Burns is in instead of Fergal Crossan, who played corner back a year ago, with Niall McOscar and Dermot Heaney dropping back to the full back line and centrefield respectively.

Heaney was manager Eamonn Coleman's man-of-the-match after the Antrim replay and has had a good year in partnership with his former minor All-Ireland-winning team-mate Anthony Tohill.

Tohill has had an exceptional season to date and raised more than a few concerns when having to leave the field with a hip injury after 45 minutes of the Antrim match.

Including Marsden's enforced absence, Armagh show four changes as well with Tony McEntee starting instead of last year's now retired captain Jarlath Burns, Cathal O'Rourke comes in for John Rafferty - also retired - at wing forward whereas Stephen McDonell replaces Alan O'Neill in the right corner of the attack.

Meanwhile in Leinster, Kildare must plan without the services of Karl O'Dwyer who has still to recover from a broken finger. Nonetheless Mick O'Dywer still makes three changes to the side which conceded a late draw to Offaly three weeks ago.

The return of Brian Lacey from suspension at corner back was predictable, but his replacement for the drawn match, Ken Doyle, holds his place with Derek Maher dropping out because of flu. In the attack which failed to turn a match-winning platform into victory, Moorfield's Ronan Sweeney - normally a wing forward - replaces Dale Hynan at full forward.

At right corner forward, Padraig Brennan comes in for Padraig Gravin. A similar type of player and also a free-taker, Brennan hasn't started since the League match against Fermanagh last February.