Minor matters

Tyrone captain Brian McGuigan has lost his battle to be fit in time for Sunday's All-Ireland Minor final against champions Laois. McGuigan is listed among the substitutes, despite his return to action more than a week ago when he came on as a substitute in the Tyrone senior club final and played a starring role as Ardboe lifted the title.

The county minor management, however, are not prepared to risk him from the outset this weekend, such a short time after he suffered a recurrance of a collar bone injury which has kept him out of the Ulster final and All-Ireland semi-final. Despite his absence from a starting line-up which shows just one change from the semi-final, it's a safe bet that playmaker McGuigan will make an appearance at some stage.

Midfielder Kevin Hughes returns after missing the semi-final victory over Leitrim with an ankle injury, but Martin Hughes, his pre-match replacement on that occasion, is also retained. Hughes, who scored a cracking goal in the semi-final, will play at centre forward, with Eoin Mulligan moving to corner forward. Ryan Mellon is the player to lose out.

Tyrone: P McConnell; G Devlin, M McGee, F Loughran; C Meenagh, D O'Hanlon, P O'Neill; C McAnallen, K Hughes; G Wylie, M Hughes, S O'Neill; A Lynch, A McGinley, E Mulligan. Subs: D Kelly, K Coary, F Donnelly, P Jordan, B McGuigan, J McMahon, E McNally, R Mellon, R O'Neill.