Ulster will have three changes from the team which started against Leinster in last weekend's Railway Cup football semi-final when they face Connacht in the final in Sligo on Sunday.
Missing will be the Armagh pair Kieran McGeeney, who captained the side, and Paul McGrane along with Derry midfielder Anthony Tohill who broke a finger after 26 minutes of the semi-final.
McGeeney and McGrane go on holiday to the Canaries tomorrow along with their Armagh team-mates. Ulster team manager Brian McEniff said last night: "We had hoped to arrange something so that they could return for the final but that is not possible. I spoke to both Kieran, who is the team captain, and the Armagh officials but nothing could be arranged. There is no suitable flight back so we must do without these players.
"I'm hoping that Sean Martin Lockhart, who missed the game with Leinster because of a hamstring injury, will be fit to take his place at full back. He has also a Sigerson Cup match with UUJ this week so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he will come through that okay - if he is fit to play in it," said McEniff.
Down's Micheal Magill filled in for Lockhart against Leinster and now he moves out to half back to replace McGeeney. Oisin McConville, who is not travelling with his Armagh team-mates, goes in for McGrane. McConville went in as a substitute last Sunday and scored from the penalty spot - that 59th-minute goal changing the course of the match.
Greg McCartan also went in as a reserve late in the match and now fills in for Tohill alongside Paul Brewster in midfield. Added to the reserve list is Derry's Dermot Heaney with Henry Downey taking over the captaincy of the side.
Meanwhile, the Kilkenny hurling selectors have called up nine newcomers to their panel. Kilkenny will play their first National League match again All-Ireland champions Cork in Nowlan Park on February 20th.
The Kilkenny management under Brian Cody is determined to improve the situation which saw the side lose the last two All-Ireland finals, to Offaly in 1998 and Cork in 1999. Cody will be demanding a new spirit in the side. "We need to be able to put a team away when we are on top. We need to be ruthless when we are in control and continue to put on extra pressure," he said.
The newcomers are Aidan Cummins (Shamrocks), John O'Neill and J P Corcoran (Locke's), Noel Hurley (Dunnamaggin), Kevin Power (Fenians), Michael Gordon (Piltown), Eddie Brennan (Graigue-Ballycallan), John Phelan (Glenmore) and Rory Moore (Clare).
Ulster: F McConnell (Tyrone); M Crossan (Donegal), S M Lockhart (Derry), G Coleman (Derry); P McFlynn (Derry), H Downey (Derry), capt, M Magill (Down); P Brewster (Fermanagh), G McCartan (Down); J McGuinness (Donegal), S Mulholland (Down), O McConville (Armagh); B Devenney (Donegal), O Gormley (Tyrone), Peter Canavan (Tyrone). Subs: T Blake (Donegal), D Diver (Donegal), B Dooher (Tyrone), D McArdle (Monaghan), Pascal Canavan (Tyrone), R Gallagher (Fermanagh), K Madden (Antrim), L Reilly (Cavan), D Heaney (Derry).
