O hAilpin back with footballers

Dual star Sean Og O hAilpin will make an appearance for the county football side on Sunday for a match against Tyrone which will establish the relegation possibilities in Division 1A.

Pat Hegarty partners Michael O'Sullivan at midfield, with Steven O'Brien at full forward. Colin Corkery, who has been struggling to regain fitness, is in the substitutes. Donegal manager Declan Bonner has threaded his fledgling lines with some familiar names as he seeks to force what would amount to a crucial win against Kerry in Ballyshannon on Sunday.

Noel Hegarty and Tony Boyle, both All-Ireland winners with Donegal eight years ago, will be given their first starts of the season. Boyle, who faces a perennial struggle with weakened knee ligaments, is listed at corner forward, alongside Brendan Devenney and Brian Roper.

In all there are four changes to the side which lost by a goal to Dublin at Parnell Park. Bonner, who bemoaned the lack of on-field leaders after the game, has opted to go with John Gildea as a partner for midfielder Jim McGuinness. Gildea was one of the few sources of consolation for Donegal after that Dublin loss.

Niall McCready is moved from half-back to wing forward as James Ruane, who has been struggling with injury, loses out, along with defenders Johnny Scanlon and Eamon Reddin and Martin Caulfield, the young attacker from Bonner's own club, Na Rossa. Damien Diver and Noel McGinley, both seasoned defenders, return to the line out.

Kerry are due to release their side today.

Down will delay naming their side for Saturday's game against Division 1B leaders Derry until Thursday evening. There are worries about 1994 All-Ireland medal winner James McCartan, who picked up a knock while on McKenna Cup duty while Shane Mulholland's availability is also uncertain; the forward returns from the US later in the week.

Sligo had hoped to name a team last night to face Kildare on Sunday but fitness tests have become necessary and the side should be named tomorrow. Nigel Clancy is definitely out.

CORK: K O'Dwyer; S O hAilpin, D Wiseman, A Lynch; O Sexton, C O'Sullivan, J Mistealla; M O'Sullivan, P Hegarty; J Kavanagh, F Collins, D Davis; P Clifford, S O'Brien, M O'Cronin.

DONEGAL: T Blake; M Crossan, R Sweeney, D Diver; N Hegarty, S Carr, N McGinley; J McGuinness, J Gildea; N McCready, J Sweeney, J Gallagher; T Boyle, B Devenney, B Roper.

OFFALY: P Kelly; C Daly, B Malone, J Brady; J Kilmurray, S Grennan, F Cullen; J Grennan, R Mooney; R Malone, M Keenaghan, C McManus; D Connolly, C Quinn, AN Other.