Louth keep injured captain on the bench

LOUTH CAPTAIN Colin Goss will not start Sunday's Leinster football quarter-final against Dublin at Croke Park. The experienced defender has been carrying a groin injury, and manager Eamonn McEneaney decided against risking him in the starting line-up as Louth look to halt Dublin's first step towards a fourth successive Leinster title.

Goss has been named among the substitutes. His place at full back goes to Michael Manning, and with Louth's regular centre back Peter McGinnity also ruled out through injury, there is a first championship start in the number six shirt for Conor McGuinness of Cooley Kickhams.

The one other championship debut goes to Derek Crilly of Dundalk Gaels, who is named in the half-forward line alongside the experienced Mark Stanfield and Adrian Reid.

Another notable absentee from the defence is Jamie Carr, while forward Darren Clarke must also be content with a place on the bench. All-Star nominee Paddy Keenan partners Ronan Carroll at midfield, while Colm Judge, Aaron Hoey and Shane Lennon complete the attack.

Louth haven't beaten Dublin in the Leinster championship since 1973, and although Dublin are without four suspended players - Ciarán Whelan, Paul Flynn, Diarmuid Connolly and Bernard Brogan - they start as strong favourites with a team that also includes two championship debutants in midfielder Eamonn Fennell, and Paddy Andrews at left wing forward.

Offaly manager Pat Roe has included just one championship debutant in his team to play Westmeath in the other Leinster football quarter-final, set for Tullamore on Saturday evening. Brian Darby of Rhode is named at right wing forward, thus following in the footsteps of his father Stephen and uncle Séamus - who both appeared as substitutes in the famous All-Ireland win over Kerry in 1982, Séamus providing the late killer of a winning goal.

Karol Slattery makes his first start of the year after returning from a long-term injury, and is picked, somewhat surprisingly, at centre forward rather than in his accustomed half-back position.

Paul McConway has also shaken off his injury problems to start at right wing back alongside Scott Brady and Nigel Grennan.

Veteran Ciarán McManus renews his midfield partnership with Alan McNamee, with Niall Smith starting at wing forward.

Thomas Deehan and Pascal Kelleghan join Niall McNamee in the full-forward line.

Westmeath won't announce their side until after training this evening. Manager Tomás Ó Flatharta has practically a full-strength panel, with defender Damien Healy over a knee-injury scare.

Forward Dessie Dolan is also back to full fitness after his hamstring problem, and played a full game recently for his club Garrycastle, though he was a late call-up for the first-round win over Longford. Dolan does, however, have some other concerns for Saturday; he's set to be best man at the wedding of his brother Gary before linking up with the squad for the 6.30pm throw-in.

Elsewhere, Down manager Ross Carr will this evening announce his team to play Tyrone in the Ulster football quarter-final at Omagh. Benny Coulter, Daniel Hughes and Liam Doyle have lingering injuries but should still figure. Ciarán McGovern, James McGovern, Declan Rooney, Darren O'Hanlon and Martin Rafferty are, however, sidelined with long-term injuries.

Carr himself won't know until this evening whether he can manage from the sidelines, after his appeal is heard against the eight-week ban arising from his criticism of the Westmeath referee Pat Fox in the wake of Down's National League defeat to Fermanagh on April 20th.

LOUTH (SF v Dublin): S Reynolds; D Finnegan, M Fanning, J Neary; J O'Brien, C McGuinness, R Finnegan; P Keenan, R Carroll; A Reid, M Stanfield, D Crilly; C Judge, A Hoey, S Lennon.

OFFALY (SF v Westmeath): P Kelly; G Rafferty, S Sullivan, J Keane; P McConway, S Brady, N Grennan; C McManus, A McNamee; B Darby, K Slattery, N Smith; T Deehan, P Kelleghan, N McNamee.