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Teams: Shane Walsh returns to Galway starting XV for Connacht final

25 April 2026; Shane Walsh of Galway during the Connacht GAA Football Senior Championship semi-final match between Leitrim and Galway at Heartland Credit Union Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada in Carrick-on-Shannon, Leitrim. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Shane Walsh is back in the Galway side

Shane Walsh has returned to the Galway starting line-up for their Connacht SFC decider against Roscommon in King & Moffat Dr Hyde Park.

The 2022 All-Star forward missed the last five rounds of the Allianz Football League but was introduced in the second half of Galway's five-point win over Leitrim, during which period he scored 0-03 and steadied the visitors' nerves.

Damien Comer is once again named among the substitutes as Galway head to the Hyde seeking to win a fifth successive Connacht title for the first time since 1956-60. Matthew Tierney is also named on the bench.

There are three other personnel changes in the Galway starting XV, with Seán Kelly replacing Seán Fitzgerald at full-back, the latter dropping out of the match-day squad, while Jack Glynn comes in for Seán Ó Maoilchiaráin at corner back and Daniel O'Flaherty replaces Oisín McDonnacha in the attack.

For Roscommon, Daire Cregg has been named on the bench as Mark Dowd has kept faith with the starting team which dismantled Mayo in Castlebar last month.

Cregg, a decisive figure in Roscommon's one-point win over Galway in the league, was controversially suspended for the Mayo game after being red carded following an off-the-ball incident in the provincial opener against New York.

He is listed among the substitutes for this Sunday's game, with the Brigid's contingent of Brian Stack, Ruaidhrí Fallon, Conor Hand, Robbie Dolan and Shane Cunnane also held in reserve.

Goalkeeper Conor Carroll is again the only player from the reigning Connacht club champions included in the side.

Enda Smith and Diarmuid Murtagh are among the Roscommon cohort chasing their third Connacht championship victory having been part of the 2017 and 2019 successes.

Roscommon: Conor Carroll; Patrick Gavin, Cealim Keogh, Eoin McCormack; Eoin Ward, Ronan Daly, Senan Lambe; Keith Doyle, Conor Ryan; Dylan Ruane, Enda Smith, Darragh Henegahan; Diarmuid Murtagh, Colm Neary, Robert Heneghan.

Subs: Aaron Brady, Niall Higgins, Robbie Dolan, Ruaidhrí Fallon, Brian Stack, Jack Duggan, Shane Cunnane, Dáire Cregg, Paul Carey, Conor Hand, Cian McKeon.

Galway: Conor Flaherty; Johnny McGrath, Seán Kelly, Jack Glynn; Dylan McHugh, John Daly, Liam Silke; Paul Conroy, John Maher; Daniel O'Flaherty, Cillian McDaid, Céin Darcy; Rob Finnerty, Shane Walsh, Liam Ó Conghaile.

Subs: Connor Gleeson, Brian Cogger, Kieran Molloy, Seán Ó Maoilchiaráin, Cian Hernon, Ryan Roche, Matthew Tierney, Finian Ó Laoí, Ciáran Mulhern, Shane McGrath, Damien Comer.


Sean O'Shea, Tom O'Sullivan and Joe O'Connor are among the high profile absentees as Kerry have named their starting team for Sunday's Munster SFC final against Cork.

Kerry were missing a host of players for the eight-point win over Clare, all bar one of whom have failed to recover in time to be included in the squad for the provincial decider in Killarney.

O'Shea, O'Connor, as well as Brian Ó Beaglaíoch, Paul Murphy, Graham O'Sullivan and goalkeeper Shane Ryan missed the Ennis semi-final and are omitted from the panel for Sunday.

Tom O'Sullivan, who did feature against Clare but was withdrawn injured early in the second half, is ruled out for the Munster decider.

His club-mate Dylan Geaney has recovered sufficiently to be included among the subs.

Evan Looney comes in at corner back for the injured O'Sullivan, while Jack O'Connor has made one other change from the Clare game, with Sean O'Brien starting at midfield, with Diarmuid O'Connor named at wing-forward while Cillian Trant is named on the bench.

Kerry, who are seeking their 15th Munster title in 17 years, have not lost to Cork in Fitzgerald Stadium since the 1995 Munster final.

Kerry: Shane Murphy; Evan Looney, Jason Foley, Dylan Casey; Tadhg Morley, Mike Breen, Armin Heinrich; Mark O’Shea, Sean O'Brien; Micheál Burns, Paudie Clifford, Diarmuid O'Connor; David Clifford, Paul Geaney, Keith Evans.

Subs: Seán Broderick, Tony Brosnan, Cillian Trant, Killian Spillane, Eddie Healy, Gavin White, Dylan Geaney, Tomás Kennedy, Donagh O'Sullivan, Joey Nagle, Ciarán Collins.


The Cork team shows two changes from the side who overcame Limerick, as Ben O'Connor names his side for their trip to Walsh Park to face Waterford.

Both changes are enforced due to the injuries incurred by Ciaran Joyce and Rob Downey, the former being ruled out for the season with an ACL injury.

Damien Cahalane, who replaced Joyce at full-back five minutes into the game against Limerick, starts in the No. 3 berth.

20 July 2025; Diarmuid Healy of Cork during the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship final match between Cork and Tipperary at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Diarmuid Healy is included for Cork

In replacing his centre-back Downey, O'Connor has rejigged things slightly, with Eoin Downey moving to centre-back and Tommy O'Connell being relocated to wing-back.

Darragh Fitzgibbon fills O'Connell's spot in midfield, with Diarmuid Healy coming in as the other personnel change, named at wing-forward.

Waterford, meanwhile, have made two changes to their starting XV, with Kevin Mahony, who rescued them with a late goal against Tipperary, starting at corner-forward.

Mahony's goal deep in injury-time secured a draw against Tipp, which essentially salvaged Waterford's chances of emerging from the province. Mahony replaced Shane Bennett on the half hour mark in Round 2 and starts in his place this time around.

Elsewhere, Peter Queally makes one other change in personnel, with Sean Mackey replacing Darragh Lyons at midfield.

Waterford beat Cork the last time the Rebels travelled to Walsh Park in the championship and the hosts realistically need a victory to keep their hopes of progression alive.

Waterford: Billy Nolan; Ian Kenny, Mark Fitzgerald, Aaron O'Neill; Jack Fagan, Iarlaith Daly, Calum Lyons; Paddy Leavey, Sean Mackey; Jack Prendergast, Stephen Bennett, Jamie Barron; Dessie Hutchinson, Sean Walsh, Kevin Mahony.

Subs: Alex Reade, Conor Keane, Tadhg de Burca, Darragh Lyons, Austin Gleeson, Shane Bennett, Mikey Kiely, Peter Hogan, Patrick Curran, Reuben Halloran, Seamus Fitzgerald.

Cork: Patrick Collins; Niall O'Leary, Damien Cahalane, Sean O'Donoghue; Tommy O'Connell, Eoin Downey, Mark Coleman; Tim O'Mahony, Darragh Fitzgibbon; Diarmuid Healy, Shane Barrett, Barry Walsh; Alan Connolly, William Buckley, Brian Hayes.

Subs: Paudie O'Sullivan, Ger Millerick, Cormac O'Brien, Ethan Twomey, Brian O'Sullivan, Robbie O'Flynn, Hugh O'Connor, Shane Kingston, Séamus Harnedy, Pádraig Power, Alan Walsh.

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