No change for Louth

Louth manager Paddy Clarke will stick with the team that brought them into Sunday's Division Two final of the National Football League in Croke Park.

There are no changes from the side that defeated Laois by two points in the semi-final last Sunday week, with captain Nicky Malone able to take his place at centre forward despite being sent off in that game.

Malone's two-week suspension runs out at midnight on Saturday - thus avoiding a costly loss. There had been some switching among the full forwards during the standard league series but the young JP Rooney and Darren Kirwan will again partner the experienced David Reilly.

Carlow have left a vacancy at midfield for the side to meet Wicklow in their opening game of the round-robin section of the Leinster football championship on Sunday. Philip Nolan is hopeful of filling the spot but will undergo a fitness test prior to the game in Aughrim.

The pivotal Jody Morrissey has recovered from his injury concerns and moves from his more familiar role at midfield to start at centre forward. The suspended Brian Farrell, one of the more experienced men in the side, is the most notable absentee, and this allows Val Flemming to make his championship debut at corner back.

Carlow's hurlers return to the championship for the first time since 1996 when they begin their round-robin series by facing Dublin on Saturday evening (the throw-in has been brought forward an hour to 6.0). Two of their dual players - Johnny Nevin and Johnny Kavanagh - are set to line out both here and in Aughrim less than 24 hours later.

Hurling's round-robin series continues next weekend (May 14th) and concludes on May 28th. That's a scenario which may yet cause a fixture problem for the Leinster Council. If two teams finish level, then a play-off will be required, as it was decided that the original idea of placing teams on scoring difference - in both the hurling and football competitions - should be scrapped.

Elsewhere, both Meath and Derry are expected to name their teams for the Division One league final this evening after postponing selection from earlier in the week.

Meanwhile, the GAA's new players' committee is due to meet for the first time in Croke Park this evening under the recently appointed chairman Jarlath Burns, Armagh's retired Ulster-winning captain.

The complete line-up of the new committee has yet to be disclosed, but its main purpose will be to oversee the implementation of the provisions of the Players' Advisory Group (PAG), which were released in March.

The central provision of that group was the appointment of an agent to handle endorsement deals for the players and the prohibition of players appointing personal agents. These endorsements can't conflict with any current sponsorship arrangements at national, county or players' club level.

Last week, the application for the commercial agent was advertised by the GAA. This is the first time that a particular body will be responsible for selling the top players in the game to commercial interests.

The players' group has agreed to meet with the Gaelic Players' Association in what appears be a less-confrontational approach in addressing the future of players' needs. The new group will have a representative on Central Council as well as direct access to Management Committee.

The Longford Football team for the opening round-robin game of the Leinster Football Championship meeting with Wexford in New Ross sees one change from that which lined out in the final league outing last month.

Louth (SF v Offaly): C Nally; B Phillips, S Melia, B Reilly; P McGinnity, A Hoey, S Gerard; A O'Neill, M Farrelly; M Stanfield, N Malone (capt), O McDonnell; D Reilly, D Kirwan, JP Rooney.

Carlow (SF v Wicklow): J Brennan; J Kavanagh, A Corden, V Fleming; C Kelly, S Kavanagh, B Hannon; K Walker, AN Other; W Quinlan, J Morrissey, P Nolan; J Nevin, R Donnelly, M Dowling.

Wexford (SF v Longford): O Murphy; C Morris, S O'Shaughnessy, J Whelan; D Breen, P Wallace, P Forde; J Darcy, T Howlin; L O'Brien, M Mahon, J Hegarty; J Lawlor, J Berry, M Forde.

Carlow (SH v Dublin): P Fenlon; D Dundon, T Doyle, P Keogh; D Kavanagh, N Bambrick, J Nevin; D Roberts, R Foley; P Coady, C Jordan, J Kavanagh; P Jordan, M Ryan, J Byrne.

Longford (SF v Wexford): G Tonra, P Jones, D Ledwith, S Carroll, M Mulleady, D Blessington, C Conefrey; A Keogh, L Keenan, E Ledwith, P Barden, P Shanley, T Smullen, N Sheridan, P Davis