McGeeney a doubt for title holders

All-Ireland champions Armagh will start the defence of their title against Monaghan on Sunday with all but four of the team that defeated Kerry in last September's final.

The main absentee from the team named last night is forward Oisin McConville, who has recovered from a recent hamstring injury but nevertheless has been kept in reserve.

Taking McConville's place at wing forward is Tony McEntee, who actually appeared as a substitute in the All-Ireland final. There were doubts surrounding the fitness of captain Kieran McGeeney, who also missed the last outing in the league because of a hamstring injury, although he has been named in his familiar centre back position.

Paul Hearty has now taken over goalkeeper duties from Benny Tierney, while Andy Mallon will make his championship debut at corner back to replace the injured Enda McNulty. The only other change from the All-Ireland winning side sees Barry O'Hagan start for Ronan Clarke at full forward. Last year's young player of the year has recovered from a recent hip injury but has been kept in reserve. Yet O'Hagan is no stranger to championship pressures having also appeared as a substitute in last year's final.

Opponents' Monaghan will start with four championship debuts - defenders Vincent Corey, Damien McKenna and James Coyle, as well as wing forward Paul Finlay. The team named by manager Colm Coyle last night is also interesting for the inclusion of forward Michael Slowey, whose last championship appearance for Monaghan was back in 1996.

Both Westmeath and Laois have named unchanged line-ups for their Leinster championship openers at Croke Park on Sunday against Carlow and Wexford respectively, from that which contested the league finals in Croke Park last Sunday.

Midfielder David O'Shaughnessy still wasn't considered for a starting place in the Westmeath team because on an Achilles tendon injury, although the team does includes four newcomers to championship football - corner back Karl Henson, wing back David Kilmartin, wing forward James Conroy and full forward Gary Dolan.

With Laois going unchanged there is no starting place for Chris Conway, Ross Munnelly, Aidan Fennelly, David Sweeney or Donal Miller, who all appeared as substitutes against Tyrone last Sunday. There are also reports that Hughie Emerson has again dropped off the panel after failing to show for training this week.

In hurling, newcomer Damien Russell has been named at centre forward in the Dublin team for the Leinster championship preliminary round against Westmeath in Parnell Park on Saturday evening.

Shane Martin has recovered from the hand injury and will start at right half forward despite his lack of match practice.

Stephen Perkins will play at full back while Keith Elliott will partner Conal Keaney at midfield. A series of players such as Ronan Fallon, Dave Sweeney, Kevin O'Donoghue and Tommy Moore were ruled out through injuries, while Tomas McGrane was ruled out for personal family reasons.

Yet Morris has still gone for 10 of the side that started in Dublin's last championship outing, the defeat to Clare in the qualifiers last June. The five newcomers to the starting line-up are Carl Meehan, Keith Elliot, Keith Wilson, Stephen McDonnell, as well as Russell.

ARMAGH (SF v Monaghan): P Hearty; A Mallon, J McNulty, F Bellow; A O'Rourke, K McGeeney, A McCann; J Toal, P McGrane; P McKeever, J McEntee, T McEntee; S McDonnell, B O'Hagan, D Marsden.

MONAGHAN (SF v Armagh): G Murphy; V Corey, D McKenna, P McKenna; D Duffy, J Coyle, JP Mone; E Lennon, J Hughes; N Corrigan, T Freeman, P Finlay; M Slowey, R Ronaghan, D Freeman.

DUBLIN (SH v Westmeath): B McLoughlin; P Brennan, S Perkins, C Meehan; S Hiney, K Wilson, K Ryan; C Keaney, K Elliott; S McDonnell, D Russell, S Martin; G Ennis, L Ryan, K Flynn.

WESTMEATH (SH v Dublin): B Conaty; D Curley, B Murtagh, B Williams; V Bateman, C Murtagh, N Gavin; P Dowdall, C Fanning; B Kennedy, J Shaw, J Forbes; D Carty, A Mitchell, F Shaw.

LAOIS (SF v Wexford): F Byron; T Kelly, C Byrne, J Higgins; D Rooney, K Fitzpatrick, D Conroy; P Clancy, N Garvan; C Parkinson, I Fitzgerald, M Lawlor; B McDonald, D Delaney, S Kelly.

WESTMEATH (SF v Carlow): A Lennon; D Heavin, D Gavin, K Henson; B Morley, D Healy, D Kilmartin; R O'Connell, M Flanagan; F Wilson, S Colleary, J Conroy; JP Casey, G Dolan, D Dolan.

LIMERICK (SF v Cork): S O'Donnell; M Riordan, D Sheehy, T Stack, C Mullane; J Stokes, D Reidy; J Quane, J Galvin; S Lavin, M Gavin, S Kelly; C Fitzgerald, B Begley, M Reidy.