John Heslin's return to the Westmeath squad has been confirmed with the county's previously retired star forward named among the substitutes for Sunday's Leinster SFC final against Dublin.
Heslin, Westmeath's leading attacker throughout the 2010s, announced his retirement from inter-county football at the beginning of 2025 but rumours emerged in recent weeks that Mark McHugh had persuaded him to return to the set-up.
Heslin has continued to play club football for St Loman's and the speculation increased that he was coming out of retirement after Luke Loughlin incurred a season-ending injury in the victory over Meath.
Heslin previously played in Leinster SFC finals against Dublin in 2015 and 2016, during the latter's long unbeaten run in the province.
There is one personnel change to the side which overcame Kildare after extra-time in the semi-final, with Jack Duncan named in place of Senan Baker in the full-forward line.
The Dubs have named an unchanged team, with six-time All-Ireland winner Con O'Callaghan again absent from the match-day panel.
The Cuala star came off at half-time during the nervy win against Wicklow last month and did not feature in the Leinster semi-final defeat of Louth.
Former team-mate Brian Fenton stressed O’Callaghan’s importance for Dublin this summer earlier this week, and it appears the hamstring injury that has curtailed his participation in the championship will not be risked this weekend at Croke Park.
Eoin Murchan, who left the field of play against Wicklow after a collision, is also not in the squad.
Westmeath: Jason Daly; Daniel Scahill, Charlie Drumm, Tadhg Baker; Ronan Wallace, Shane Allen, Matthew Whittaker; Brían Cooney, Ray Connellan; Kevin O'Sullivan, Sam McCartan, Ronan Wallace, Conor Dillon; Shane Corcoran, Jack Duncan, Brandon Kelly.
Subs: Jack Connaughton, Adam Treanor, Tom Molloy, Robbie Forde, Ian Martin, TJ Cox, Shane Ormsby, Danny McCartan, Eoghan McCabe, Senan Baker, John Heslin.
Dublin: Evan Comerford; David Byrne, Theo Clancy, Nathan Doran; Seán MacMahon, Charlie McMorrow, Eoin Kennedy; Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne, Brian Howard; Seán Bugler, Niall Scully, Ciarán Kilkenny; Paddy Small, Killian McGinnis, Cormac Costello.
Aaron Gillane has returned to the Limerick side for their Munster SHC clash with Waterford on Sunday.
The Patrickswell inside forward delivered a match-winning display in the league final against Cork but injury saw him ruled out of Limerick's opening two games of the championship, which resulted in a narrow defeat to Cork and then a heavy, bounce-back win against Clare in Ennis.
Gillane returns to the forward line, with Tom Morrissey dropping out of the side that demolished Clare. Cian Lynch, however, will have to wait for his return, the midfielder being held in reserve as Darragh O'Donovan and Adam English are named in the middle.
There is one other change for Limerick, with Dan Morrissey returning to the full-back line in place of Mike Casey.
Waterford's team shows three changes from the side which was edged out by Cork, the injured Stephen Bennett being replaced by Reuben Halloran, while Tadhg de Burca and Shane Bennett come into the half-back line, with Ian Kenny and Iarliath Daly ruled out.
Peter Queally's side have a very slim chance of progressing to the All-Ireland series, requiring a first ever win over Limerick in the Munster round robin, a result which wouldn't even guarantee their advancement.
Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Sean Finn, Dan Morrissey, Barry Nash; Diarmaid Byrnes, Will O'Donoghue, Kyle Hayes; Adam English, Darragh O'Donovan; Gearóid Hegarty, Aidan O'Connor, Cathal O'Neill; Aaron Gillane, Shane O'Brien, Peter Casey.
Waterford: Billy Nolan; Aaron O'Neill, Mark Fitzgerald, Jack Fagan; Tadhg de Burca, Paddy Leavey, Shane Bennett; Sean Mackey, Reuben Halloran; Calum Lyons, Jamie Barron, Jack Prendergast; Dessie Hutchinson, Sean Walsh, Kevin Mahony.
Liam Cahill has made two changes to his Tipperary side for their cruch tie against Clare in Semple Stadium on Saturday.
Jason Forde returns to the Tipp attack, with Sam O'Farrell is named on the bench. Elsewhere, Craig Morgan is named to start at wing-back, with Oisín O'Donoghue being relocated to wing-forward, while Alan Tynan is listed at midfield. Seamus Kennedy drops out of the team that started in Walsh Park.
Brian Lohan has given the starting XV that were hammered against Limerick a shot at redemption by naming an unchanged side, though Shane O'Donnell and Peter Duggan have been named in the half-forward line while Tony Kelly is handed the No. 15 jersey.
The game is a critical one, with defeat for the hosts likely signalling their exit for the championship at the provincial championship phase.
Defeat for Clare would be highly damaging, though Lohan's side may have the chance to rescue their chances against a Cork side who would already be guaranteed a Munster final slot in that scenario.
Tipperary: Rhys Shelly; Robert Doyle, Eoghan Connolly, Michael Breen; Craig Morgan, Ronan Maher, Bryan O'Mara; Willie Connors, Alan Tynan; Jake Morris, Andrew Ormond, Oisín O'Donoghue; Darragh McCarthy, John McGrath, Jason Forde.
Clare: Éibhear Quilligan; Rory Hayes, Conor Cleary, Adam Hogan; Diarmuid Ryan, Niall O'Farrell, Cathal Malone; Darragh Lohan, Ryan Taylor; Shane O'Donnell, Peter Duggan, Seán Rynne; David Reidy, Mark Rodgers, Tony Kelly.
Kieran McGeeney has kept faith with the same Armagh team that dismantled Down in the Ulster semi-final for the provincial showpiece with Monaghan on Sunday (4.15pm).
Some positional alterations see Joe McElroy named at midfield and Andrew Murnin in the full-forward line.
Armagh: B Hughes; P McGrane, A McKay, P Burns; G McCabe, T Kelly, J Og Burns; J McElroy, J Duffy, D McMullen, C Turbitt, T McCormack; C McConville, A Murnin, O Conaty.
Watch Dublin v Westmeath in the Leinster Football final (2pm) and Armagh v Monaghan in the Ulster Football final (4.15pm) on Sunday from 1.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow our live blog on RTÉ.ie/sport and RTÉ News app and listen to Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
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