Meath given lift as McDermott returns to side

John McDermott is back on the Meath team. The former All Star midfielder had retired from the game earlier this year, reconsidered and then broke a toe on his comeback, but has now recovered sufficiently well to take his place on the team for Sunday's Leinster football final against Dublin.

He will be an indirect replacement for the suspended Paddy Reynolds.

Other changes are positional. Nigel Nestor drops back from centrefield to centre back and Hank Traynor goes from centre back to the right wing.

The news of McDermott's return will come as a major morale boost for the team as they pursue their eighth Leinster title under Sean Boylan's management.

Dublin also make at least one change. Centre back Jonathan McGee is still doubtful after a motor accident last week and a vacancy is left there.

First-choice goalkeeper David Byrne has regained his place on the team having recovered from injury. His understudy Stephen Cluxton had performed well in Byrne's absence and the choice between the two was difficult.

During a recent challenge match victory over Cork played in Nenagh, Dublin alternated the goalkeepers between the first and second half.

"Our predicament was that we had two number one goalkeepers," said manager Tom Carr.

"It was very hard to separate them. Stephen didn't put a foot wrong in the two games he played. His kick-outs were excellent, his shot stopping very good and his general covering as well.

"The decision was based on experience. Davy's been through these situations before and although we had no reason to think that Stephen wouldn't be able for it we went with that experience."

As well as experience, Byrne will bring physical solidity to the position - a potentially important consideration given the height of Meath full forward Graham Geraghty and his prowess under a dropping ball.

The continuing doubt about McGee's fitness is a worry for Carr. Earlier in the week he had hoped that the Kilmacud centre back would have recovered from the bang on the head received in a car crash. But the player is still suffering from intermittent headaches and his availability is now in question.

After the semi-final win over Offaly, the Dublin management came in for criticism for leaving centrefielder Ciaran Whelan on the field despite the player sustaining an early knock on the head.

Should McGee not be passed fit, his position will be taken by Shane Ryan.

Overall Carr is confident about the match, despite the fact that in the same fixture two years ago, Meath ran out comfortable winners.

"I think you'll find," said Carr, "that while Meath have hardly any changes from that match, we have a quite a few. The only game we're concentrating on as regards Meath is their win over Kildare. Anything else is irrelevant."

It has been announced that Westmeath's captain Ger Heavin is to receive the Eircell Player of the Month award for June.

This is recognition for Heavin's prominent role in his county's progress in the All-Ireland qualifier series as well as the good display given against Meath in the Leinster quarterfinal in which Heavin's team were unlucky to be beaten by a point.

This has been an exceptional year for Heavin. A comparative veteran in a team dominated by Westmeath's recent under-age All-Ireland winners, he has given great performances at corner forward as the county won the National League Division Two title, beating Cork in the final.

The defeat by Meath has been followed by victories over Wexford, Limerick and Louth and Westmeath will be in the hat for Sunday's draw against the defeated provincial finalists.

DUBLIN (SF v Meath): D Byrne; M Cahill, P Christie, C Goggins; P Curran, AN Other, P Andrews; C Whelan, D Homan; S Connell, D Farrell, C Moran; J Sherlock, I Robertson, W McCarthy. Subs: S Cluxton, M Casey, T Lynch, S Ryan, E Sheehy, D Darcy, K Darcy, N O'Donoghue, V Murphy, I Clarke.

MEATH: C O'Sullivan; M O'Reilly, D Fay, C Murphy; H Traynor, N Nestor, P Shankey; N Crawford, J McDermott; E Kelly, T Giles, R Kealy; O Murphy, G Geraghty, D Curtis.