Louth to play in relegation battle

Tyrone are guaranteed a place in the semi-finals of the National Football League after Croke Park finally decided yesterday how to deal with the fixtures that were not played because of the foot-and-mouth precautions.

Tyrone were awarded the two points from the game they didn't play against Louth and they now join Mayo in one of the four playoff berths no matter what happens in their final game against Offaly on Sunday. Still in the running for the other two places are Galway, Roscommon, Sligo and Derry.

It was also decided that the results of games played against teams who were unable to complete their full programme of matches will not count in calculating the scoring averages. In other words, the scores in games involving Louth in Division 1A of the football league will not count in the final scoring average of teams.

Similarly, in determining the promotion places in Division 2A, the results of games involving London and Leitrim will not count, while in the hurling league, games against London, Louth, Wicklow and Carlow won't count.

The issue of relegation from Division 1A of the National League will now involve a playoff. The team in second-last place will be automatically relegated while Louth, at the bottom of the table, will face the team that eventually finishes third from bottom. That could be Dublin, Kerry, Donegal or Offaly, depending on what happens this weekend.

If Kerry lose, they stay on four points and will thus face Louth at a later date. Dublin were awarded the two points for the game they couldn't play against Louth, leaving them on six points in total, but it could mean they too could come into the play-off if Kerry win.

Meanwhile, the Kerry team for Sunday's pivotal Division 1A game against Galway in Tuam shows one change from that which beat Donegal last weekend. Tom O'Sullivan came in for the injured Eamonn Fitzmaurice shortly before the throw-in but Fitzmaurice has recovered to regain his place at centre back, with O'Sullivan named among the substitutes.

In hurling, Waterford have called up Alan Kirwan for their Division 1B game against Laois in Dungarvan. The Ballygunner clubman is currently part of UCC's Fitzgibbon Cup run.

Hubert Rigney returns to the Offaly team for Sunday's game against Clare in Ennis. Rigney, who opted out of the county set-up after being omitted from the Offaly panel for last year's All-Ireland final, is chosen at right back.

In all, Offaly make four changes with Mick O'Hara, Colm Cassidy (both injured), Simon Whelahan (holidays) and Damien Murray being replaced by Rigney, Joe Errity, Niall Claffey and Brendan Murphy.

KERRY (SF v Galway): D O'Keeffe; M Hassett, S Moynihan, M McCarthy; T O Se, E Fitzmaurice, K Scanlon; D O Se, D Daly; N Kennelly, M Fitzgerald, D O'Dwyer; MF Russell, D O Cinneide, A MacGearailt.

WATERFORD (SH v Laois): S Brenner; T Feeney, S Cullinane, A Kirwan; S Frampton, P Queally, J Murray; T Browne, E Murphy; D Shanahan, F Hartley, K McGrath; J Mullane, S Prendergast, P Flynn.

OFFALY (SH v Clare): S Byrne; H Rigney, J Brady, Brian Whelahan; N Claffey, J Errity, K Martin; Barry Whelahan, J Pilkington; J Dooley, G Hanniffy, R Hanniffy; B Murphy, G Oakley, J Troy.