Whelahan lines up in attack

Offaly hurling manager John McIntyre has sprung a surprise ahead of Saturday's qualifier against Dublin at Parnell Park by selecting Brian Whelahan at left wing forward in place of injured captain Brendan Murphy.

Rory Hanniffy is the new captain after Murphy damaged knee ligaments during Sunday's one-point defeat to Wexford in the Leinster semi-final. This is Whelahan's first start of the season.

Damien Murray is also ruled out with an ankle injury so Daniel Hoctor and Declan Tanner come into the midfield, while Alan Egan starts at corner forward.

The Dublin team shows five changes from the side that lost to Westmeath with Ger O'Meara, Derek O'Reilly, John Kelly and Alan McCrabbe coming in. A vacancy has been left at midfield.

Limerick make four changes in personnel from the team that lost to Tipperary in the opening round of the Munster hurling championship for Sunday's qualifier against Clare in Cusack Park. Donal and Paul O'Grady, Mark Keane and the injured Denis Moloney make way for Mark O'Riordan, Seamus Hickey, Mike O'Brien and Barry Foley.

TJ Ryan is named at full back but must undergo a fitness test on Sunday morning. Highly-rated teenager Hickey and O'Brien form a new midfield partnership.

Derry manager Paddy Crozier has named the same team that beat All-Ireland champions Tyrone for Sunday's Ulster football semi-final against Donegal in Clones. It means they must plough on without injured duo Sean Marty Lockhart and Patsy Bradley as Francis McEldowney and Joe Diver retain their places at corner back and midfield.

Donegal manager Brian McIver will announce a team tonight with injury doubts surrounding Stephen McDermott and Brian Roper.

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte may recall Stephen O'Neill and Enda McGinley for Saturday's first-round qualifier against Louth in Navan. Both are back in full training, as are Ger Cavlan and Martin Penrose, but Joe McMahon (hamstring strain) is unlikely to feature.

OFFALY (SH v Dublin): B Mullins; B Teehan, P Cleary, D Franks; K Brady, R Hanniffy (capt), G Oakley; D Hoctor, D Tanner; D Hayden, G Hannify, B Whelahan; B Carroll, J Bergin, A Egan.

DUBLIN (SH v Offaly): G Maguire; P Brennan, K Ryan, T Brady; Derek O'Reilly, M Carton, G O'Meara; D Sweeney, AN Other; J McCaffrey, L Ryan, D Curtin; J Kelly, K Flynn, A McCrabbe.

LIMERICK (SH v Clare): B Murray; D Reale, TJ Ryan, M Foley; O Moran, B Geary, M O'Riordan; S Hickey, M O'Brien; C Fitzgerald, S Lucey, D Ryan; A O'Shaughnessy, B Begley, B Foley.

DERRY (SF v Donegal): B Gillis; K McGuckin, K McCloy, F McEldowney; L Hinphey, P McFlynn, J O'Kane; J McBride, J Diver; M Lynch, B McGoldrick, F Doherty; E Muldoon, Paddy Bradley, E Bradley.

LONGFORD (SF v Waterford): D Sheridan (capt); D Brady, N Farrell, C Conefrey; S Mulligan, A O Connor, D Reilly; B McElvaney, L Keenan; T Smullen, P Barden, P Berry; D Barden, J Martin, B Kavanagh.