Keane passed fit to start for Limerick

GAELIC GAMES: Mark Keane is back in the Limerick team for Sunday's Munster hurling quarter-final against Tipperary. The talented corner forward missed the National League final defeat to Kilkenny last Sunday week with a groin injury, and although expected to be out for up to six weeks, Keane was passed fully fit at training last night and thus regains the number 15 shirt.

Barry Foley reverts to the substitutes' bench as a result, with one further change from the team that started the league final. Midfielder Paul O'Grady also missed that game with a finger injury, but he too has recovered in time to regain his place - with Mike O'Brien the player to make way.

Keane's return is a huge lift for Limerick going into Sunday's game in Thurles. While Barry Foley played well against Kilkenny in what was his first start in three seasons, Keane was Limerick's top scorer throughout their impressive league run, hitting 4-50 up to the league final, including 2-10 in the semi-final win over Clare.

In football, Armagh show some menacing strength for their Ulster championship quarter-final against Monaghan in Clones, with both Oisin McConville and Ronan Clarke back in the starting line-up after recent lay-offs.

However, Francie Bellew has failed to recover from injury and his place at full back goes to Aidan O'Rourke.

Ciarán McKinney is now first-choice goalkeeper ahead of Paul Hearty, but elsewhere Armagh have an all too familiar look about them. Kieran McGeeney will play at midfield alongside Paul McGrane having experimented in the position during the league, while McConville and Clarke are joined in the full-forward line by Steven McDonnell.

Aaron Kernan starts at right wing back beside Ciarán McKeever and Paul Duffy, who gets his first championship start.

Louth manager Eamonn McEneaney has announced an unchanged line-up for their Leinster championship first-round clash with Meath at Croke Park.

A certain amount of mystery still surrounds Eamonn Barry's first championship team as Meath manager - where will Graham Geraghty start? That will be revealed when he announces his starting line-up later tonight.

Westmeath will also name their team tonight for Sunday's second match at Croke Park, their first-round clash against Offaly.

Dessie Dolan is already set to miss out with a groin injury while Alan Mangan is still holding some hope of being fit.

LIMERICK (SH v Tipperary): B Murray; D Reale, TY Ryan, M Foley; O Moran, B Geary, D Moloney; P O'Grady, D O'Grady; D Ryan, S Lucey, C Fitzgerald; A O'Shaughnessy, B Begley, M Keane.

ARMAGH (SF v Monaghan): C McKinney; A Mallon, A O'Rourke, E McNulty; A Kernan, C McKeever, P Duffy; K McGeeney, P McGrane; P McKeever, B Mallon, M Mackin; S McDonnell, R Clarke, O McConville.

LOUTH (SF v Meath): S Reynolds; D Brennan, C Goss, J Carr; J O'Brien, P McGinnity, J Neary; M Farrelly, P Keenan; C Grimes, M Brennan, M Stanfield; JP Rooney, A Hoey, D Clarke.

Tipperary made it through to the semi-finals of the Munster minor football championship - where they will join Cork, Kerry and Waterford - by beating Clare 0-11 to 1-7 in the qualifying game at the Gaelic Grounds last night.

SCORERS: Tipperary - S Carey 0-6 (three frees), D Keogh 0-3, S Browne 0-1, M O'Donnell 0-1 (from a 45), Clare - S Ryan 0-4 (frees), K Cahill 1-0, S Monaghan 0-2 (one free), D Connole 0-1 (free).