Rooney, who injured his groin in the Laois hurlers' SHC loss to Offaly last Sunday, is expected to be fit for the footballers' first outing of the summer. He has been named at centre back by manager Liam Kearns.

Laois are without long-term injury victim Gary Kavanagh, while Barry Brennan is also sidelined. But the O'Moore men can call on the services of Tom Kelly and Ross Munnelly, as well as MJ Tierney, who impressed for the county's Under-21s during their recent All-Ireland run.

Meanwhile, Longford have made one change to the team that beat Westmeath last time out - David Barden comes into the side at right corner forward, taking the place of Padraig Berry.

Diarmuid Masterson, Liam Keenan and Kevin Mulligan have all recovered from knocks to take their places in the Damien Sheridan-captained line-up.

The winners of Saturday's tie will play either Wicklow, Louth or Wexford in Leinster's last-four.

LAOIS (SFC v Longford) - F Byron; C Ryan, T Kelly, J Higgins; P McMahon, D Rooney, B McCormack; B Quigley, N Garvan; R Munnelly, C Conway, P Clancy; M Tierney, P Lawlor, B McDonald.

LONGFORD - D Sheridan; D Brady, D Masterson, D Reilly; S Mulligan, D Hannify, N Farrell; B McElvaney, L Keenan; T Smullen, P Barden, P Dowd; D Barden, K Mulligan, B Kavanagh.