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GAA team news: McCaffrey returns, McBrearty starts

Jack McCaffrey is back in the fold for Dublin
Jack McCaffrey is back in the fold for Dublin

2015 Footballer of the Year Jack McCaffrey has been named in the Dublin squad to take on Sligo in Sunday's All-Ireland SFC Group 3 Round 3 clash at Kingspan Breffni Park.

McCaffrey in named on the bench, making his first appearance on the Dublin team-sheet since he suffered a hamstring injury in last month's Leinster final victory against Louth.

Eoin Murchan and Paddy Small are both named in the starting line-up for the Dubs, with Killian O'Gara and Dean Rock missing out.

Veteran goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton remains between the posts.

Dublin: Stephen Cluxton; Daire Newcombe, Michael Fitzsimons, Eoin Murchan; John Small, Sean McMahon, Lee Gannon; Brian Fenton, James McCarthy; Brian Howard, Sean Bugler, Niall Scully; Paddy Small, Con O'Callaghan, Colm Basquel.

Sligo: Aidan Devaney, Evan Lyons, Eddie McGuinness, Darragh Cummins, Paul McNamara, Brian Cox, Luke Towey, Cian Lally, Paul Kilcoyne, Finnian Cawley, Sean Carrabine, Keelan Cawley, Pat Spillane, Patrick O'Connor, Niall Murphy.


Donegal have been handed a major fitness boost with the news that Paddy McBrearty is fit to start his county's All-Ireland SFC round-robin clash with Monaghan.

McBrearty came off the bench for the close stages of his side's recent defeat against Derry but this will be the first time he's started a game since tearing his hamstring in a league defeat against Tyrone in February.

The injured Jason McGee makes way for McBrearty with Hugh McFadden shifting to midfield.

Stephen McMenamin is also drafted into the starting line-up with Odhran Doherty dropping down to the bench.

Monaghan are unchanged from the side that beat Clare two weeks ago in Clones.

Donegal: Shaun Patton, Mark Curran, Brendan McCole, Caolan McColgan, Caolan Ward, Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Stephen McMenamin, Caolan McGonagle, Hugh McFadden, Daire Ó'Baoill, Jamie Brennan, Ciaran Thompson, Patrick McBrearty, Oisin Gallen, Conor O'Donnell.

Monaghan: Rory Beggan, Ryan O'Toole, Kieran Duffy, Ryan Wylie, Karl O'Connell, Conor Boyle, Conor McCarthy, Karl Gallagher, Killian Lavelle, Stephen O'Hanlon, Michael Bannigan, Ryan Mc Anespie, Jack Mc Carron, Gary Mohan, Shane Carey.


Damien Comer starts for Galway

Damien Comer starts for Galway in their clash with Armagh.

Comer impressed of the bench in his side's victory over Westmeath and that performance has prompted Pádraic Joyce to hand him a starting place at Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada.

Dylan McHugh in named at half-back as he returns from injury, with Cillian McDaid moving into midfield. Cathal Sweeney and the injured Rob Finnerty miss out. Meanwhile Cillian Ó Curraoin is named on the bench and is in line to make his debut.

Armagh make two changes - one enforced as captain Rian O'Neill is serving a suspension following his red card against Tyrone.

Jarly Og Burns also misses out as he's named on the bench with Ciaran Higgins starting his first championship game since 2018 with Paddy Burns also getting the nod.

Armagh: Ethan Rafferty, Paddy Burns, Ciaran Higgins, Aidan Forker, Greg McCabe, Aaron McKay, Conor O'Neill, Ciaran Mackin, Ben Crealey, Jason Duffy, Rory Grugan, Callum Cumiskey, Conor Turbitt, Andrew Murnin, Stefan Campbell.

Galway: Connor Gleeson, John McGrath, Seán Kelly, Jack Glynn, Dylan McHugh, John Daly, Cian Hernon, Paul Conroy, Cillian McDaid, Matthew Tierney, Johnny Heaney, Peter Cooke, Ian Burke, Damien Comer, Shane Walsh.


Tyrone are poised to give Ruairi Canavan his championship debut after he was named in the starting XV to take on Westmeath at Kingspan Breffni Park.

Ruairí starts alongside his brother Darragh and is the only new face in the team from the side that beat Armagh two weeks ago. Niall Sludden makes way for Canavan.

Frank Burns is named on the bench, having served a one-match suspension against Armagh.

Westmeath make one change to the side that started against Galway last time out. Jonathan Lynam comes in to start with Andy McCormack dropping to the bench.

Westmeath: Jason Daly, Jack Smith, Kevin Maguire, James Dolan, Sam McCartan, Ronan Wallace, Jamie Gonoud, Sam Duncan, Ray Connellan, Jonathan Lynam, Ronan O'Toole, David Lynch, Luke Loughlin, John Heslin, Stephen Smith.

Tyrone: Niall Morgan, Michael Mc Kernan, Ronan McNamee, Pádraig Hampsey, Cormac Quinn, Michael O'Neill, Peter Harte, Brian Kennedy, Conn Kilpatrick, Conor Meyler, Joe Oguz, Ruari Canavan, Darren McCurry, Matthew Donnelly, Darragh Canavan.


Cillian O'Connor continues to be absent

Mayo will be without Cillian O'Connor for their game with Cork at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.

Manager Kevin McStay had hoped that O'Connor's troublesome knee injury would have recovered in time for the showdown with the Rebels, but he has not been included in the matchday 26.

Elsewhere Paddy Durcan starts as does Fionn McDonagh, with Sonnacha McHugh and Jason Doherty missing out.

Cork name an unchanged starting line-up from the side that lost to Kerry last time out, but Conor Corbett is named on the bench.

Cork: Míchéal Aodh Martin, Maurice Shanley, Rory Maguire, Kevin O' Donovan, Luke Fahy, Daniel O'Mahony, Mattie Taylor, Colm O'Callaghan, Ian Maguire, Brian O'Driscoll, Ruairi Deane, Killian O'Hanlon, Sean Powter, Brian Hurley, Chris Óg Jones.

Mayo: Colm Reape, Jack Coyne, David McBrien, Pádraig O'Hora, Sam Callinan, Conor Loftus, Paddy Durcan, Stephen Coen, Matthew Ruane, Fionn McDonagh, Jack Carney, Jordan Flynn, Aidan O'Shea, James Carr, Ryan O'Donoghue.


Kerry's Mike Breen is poised for his seasonal championship bow after he was named in the Kingdom's starting line-up for their clash with with Louth at Laois Hire O'Moore Park.

Breen has been hampered by injuries this campaign but comes in for Gavin White.

Brian Ó Beaglaoich and Ronan Buckley are both named on the bench for Kerry.

Kerry: Shane Ryan, Graham O'Sullivan, Jason Foley, Tom O'Sullivan, Paul Murphy, Tadhg Morley, Mike Breen, Diarmuid O'Connor, Jack Barry, Dara Moynihan, Sean O'Shea, Adrian Spillane, Paudie Clifford, David Clifford, Paul Geaney.

Louth: James Califf, Dan Corcoran, Peter Lynch, Donal Mckenny, Leonard Grey, Niall Sharkey, Conall Mckeever, Tommy Durnin, Conor Early, Ciaran Murphy, Ciaran Downey, Conor Grimes, Conall Mccaul, Sam Mulroy, Craig Lennon.

Watch an All-Ireland Football Championship double-header, Roscommon v Kildare and Galway v Armagh, on Sunday from 1.15pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on RTÉ.ie/Sport and the RTÉ News app or listen to live updates on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1

Watch highlights of the weekend's football and hurling championship action on The Saturday Game and The Sunday Game, 9.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player

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