Mayo and Roscommon name teams for semi-final
Richie Feeney has replaced the injured Cillian O'Connor in the Mayo attack for Sunday's Connacht SFC semi-final against Roscommon in Castlebar (throw-in 4pm).
The Castlebar Mitchels clubman, whose versatility has seen him play in a number of positions for Mayo, will start at centre forward in the one enforced change made by manager James Horan.
It will be Feeney's first Championship start since the 2011 All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry.
Feeney was a point-scoring substitute in Mayo's 4-16 to 0-11 dismissal of Galway last time out.
He also came off the bench in the All-Ireland final loss to Donegal last September, replacing Enda Varley in attack.
O'Connor, the two-time Young Footballer of the Year, dislocated his shoulder in a club game on May 25.
He misses the MacHale Park encounter along with shoulder injury victims Michael Conroy and Cathal Freeman.
Horan told the Mayo News: "All our injuries are improving. Cathal Freeman and Mickey Conroy are back on the field, but (have) no contact because they have shoulder injuries. Brian Gallagher is back running too.
"Cillian has started his rehab. It's with the medical experts now. He's got stuff to do every day and then check in and monitor that. The time-frame isn't clear and set."
Mayo captain Andy Moran is set to start on the bench again. He returned from a cruciate knee ligament injury to score a late goal as a substitute in the Galway match, and is reportedly going well in training.
Meanwhile, Roscommon manager John Evans has included two Championship debutants - goalkeeper Darren O'Malley and wing back Conor Daly - in the starting line-up to face Mayo.
Talismanic forward Donie Shine is sidelined with a hamstring injury, while the visitors also have to make do without the services of Ian Kilbride, Darragh Donnelly and Donal Keane.
But Shine reckons John Evans' men have what it takes to avenge their tight 2011 Connacht final defeat to Mayo (0-13 to 0-11), telling the Irish Daily Star: "It was a terrible day in the Hyde and we know we missed a few chances and we could have taken them that day.
"But if you look at the two sides, not much has changed when we probably should have beaten them and didn't. Mayo have probably been together under James Horan a bit longer and they're developed a bit more. They have a bit more experience, and that's probably where they're getting a bit over us.
"We're looking to cause an upset. I think if we can stay in the game and just match Mayo for the first 40 minutes, we'll definitely be there or thereabouts. We will be confident. We're well able to beat Mayo, we've beaten them before and we're a similar team to what we had, if not better."
MAYO (SFC v Roscommon): David Clarke; Tom Cunniffe, Ger Cafferkey, Keith Higgins; Lee Keegan, Donal Vaughan, Colm Boyle; Aidan O'Shea, Seamus O'Shea; Kevin McLoughlin, Richie Feeney, Cathal Carolan; Enda Varley, Alan Freeman, Alan Dillon.
ROSCOMMON: Darren O'Malley; Neil Collins, Niall Carty, Seanie McDermott; David Keenan, Niall Daly, Conor Daly; Kevin Higgins, Michael Finneran; Conor Devaney, Karol Mannion, Cathal Cregg (capt); Donal Smith, Senan Kilbride, David O'Gara.
