Jim McGuinness is holding Michael Murphy, Paddy McBrearty and Oisín Gallen in reserve as he releases his named XV as they begin their Ulster championship defence at home to Derry on Sunday.
Donegal host Derry in Ballybofey at the weekend, as McGuinness seeks to win his fifth Ulster title in six efforts as a manager across his two stints.
The manager has handed a first championship start to Finbarr Roarty at corner-back, while Aaron Doherty is named at corner-forward, in what would be his first start for the county, having come on as a sub in the last league game against Mayo.
Michael Langan, injured since the win over Kerry in Round 2 of the league, returns in midfield.
The much-vaunted attacking trio of Murphy, Gallen and McBrearty are all named among the substitutes. Neither Gallen or McBrearty featured in the latter rounds of the league, the former last playing against Derry in Round 5, while the latter hasn't been seen since their win at home to Armagh in their third game of the campaign.
Murphy, handed the No. 22 jersey, could be in line for his first championship appearance since Donegal's heavy loss to Armagh in the last-12 game in 2022.
Paddy Tally has named three championship debutants on his starting team, with Néill McNicholl resuming in goal for the injured Odhrán Lynch, while defender Martin Bradley and midfielder Dan Higgins are down to start.
Ciaran McFaul is installed at wing-forward, his first start since the Round 3 draw with Galway, their only point of a miserable league campaign. Niall Toner also returns to the team.
Brendan Rogers, who limped off late in their league loss to Donegal in Letterkenny, is named at full-back. Conor McCloskey and Anton Tohill miss out on the match-day panel with injury.
Last year's league champions are coming into the game off the back of a wretched league, in which they shipped 18 goals across the seven games and failed to register a win.
Donegal: Shaun Patton, Finnbarr Roarty, Brendan McCole, Ciarán Moore, Ryan McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, Peadar Mogan, Hugh McFadden, Michael Langan, Dáire Ó Baoill, Ciarán Thompson, Shane O'Donnell, Niall O’Donnell, Conor O’Donnell, Aaron Doherty
Subs: Gavin Mulreaney, Mark Curran, Stephen McMenamin, Kevin McGettigan, Jamie Brennan, Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí, Michael Murphy, Odhrán McFadden Ferry, Oisín Gallen, Patrick McBrearty, Jason McGee
Derry: Néill McNicholl; Diarmuid Baker, Brendan Rogers, Martin Bradley; Conor Doherty, Paudi McGrogan, Eoin McEvoy; Conor Glass, Dan Higgins; Ethan Doherty, Paul Cassidy, Ciaran McFaul; Niall Toner, Shane McGuigan, Lachlan Murray
Subs: Ben McKinless, Niall Loughlin, Patrick McGurk, Declan Cassidy, Ben McCarron, Mark Doherty, Caolan Devlin, Cahir McMonagle, Ryan Mulholland, Charlie Diamond, Kevin Quinn
Kevin McStay has made two changes to the Mayo side which lost last weekend's Division 1 final for their Connacht opener against Sligo in MacHale Park.
Darren McHale and Davitt Neary come into the starting side, while Conor Reid and Eoghan McLaughlin make way, the latter having scored the goal which briefly brought Mayo back into the contest against Kerry at Croke Park, before they faded again in the latter stages.
For the visitors, Canice Mulligan and Ross Doherty come into the team, replacing Paul Kilcoyne and Cian Lally from Sligo's very lop-sided win over Leitrim in their final Division 3 game.
Sligo, who came agonisingly close to springing a shock on Galway in last year's Connacht semi-final, are seeking a first championship win over Mayo since 2010. Their last win over Mayo in Castlebar arrived in the 1975 Connacht final, the second of their three provincial victories.
Mayo: Colm Reape; Jack Coyne, Donnacha McHugh, Enda Hession; Sam Callinan, David McBrien, Stephen Coen; Jack Carney, Matthew Ruane; Davitt Neary, Darren McHale, Jordan Flynn; Aidan O'Shea, Frank Irwin, Ryan O'Donoghue.
Sligo: Daniel Lyons; Evan Lyons, Eddie McGuinnes, Paul McNamara; Brian Cox, Nathan Mullen, Luke Towey; Canice Mulligan, Paddy O’Connor; Ross Doherty, David Quinn, Alan Reilly; Alan McLoughlin, Niall Murphy, Pat Spillane.
There are changes to the Meath team that lost their final league game to Louth, with Cathal Hickey, Keith Curtis and Mathew Costello named to start, the latter coming in for the injured Jordan Morris.
Full back Sean Rafferty and wing-forward Conor Duke, both prominent during the league, will make their Leinster championship debuts.
Meath enter the championship following a largely promising league campaign which turned sour in the latter stages, with losses to Monaghan and Louth denying them promotion, before the squad were hit with the shock of the abrupt departures of coaches Joe McMahon and Martin Corey.
Carlow had their own managerial upheaval, with Shane Curran departing in the wake of the league campaign, citing "player-related issues", an explanation which prompted a response from the players, who issued their own statement criticising the training environment across the spring.
Former Carlow player Joe Murphy, who recently guided Naas to three successive Kildare titles, was installed as interim manager and takes charge of the team for the first time on Sunday.
Meath: Billy Hogan; Seamus Lavin, Seán Rafferty, Brian O'Halloran; Eoin Harkin, Donal Keogan, Ciarán Caulfield; Jack Flynn, Bryan Menton; Conor Duke, Ruairí Kinsella, Cathal Hickey; Keith Curtis, Mathew Costello, Eoghan Frayne.
Carlow: Johnny Furey; Paddy Regan, Mark Furey, Colin Byrn; Shane Clarke, Mikey Bambrick, John Murphy; Ciaran Moran, Liam Brennan; Paddy McDonnell, Ross Dunphy, Conor Doyle; Aaron Amond, Kevin Murphy, Conor Crowley.
