DONEGAL MANAGER RORY Gallagher has named ten survivors from last September’s All-Ireland final team in his starting line-up for Sunday’s Ulster SFC preliminary round clash with Donegal in Ballybofey.
Anthony Thompson, Rory Kavanagh, Leo McCloone, Darach O’Connor and Colm McFadden all started against Kerry at Croke Park in the 2014 decider but are absent for various reasons.
Ryan McHugh started in attack against the Kingdom but is named at right-half-back for the Red Hands showdown.
Martin McElhinney, Martin O’Reilly, Christy Toye, Patrick McBrearty and Hugh McFadden are the players who slot into the starting line-up.
Colm McFadden and Anthony Thompson are named on the bench, Rory Kavanagh announced his retirement and Leo McCloone indicated earlier this year that he was taking a break.
Paddy McGrath and Martin McElhinney have recovered from injury and Hugh McFadden will make his Ulster SFC debut.
Donegal have made four changes to the team that lost the Allianz Football League Division 1 semi-final to Cork, as goalkeeper Paul Durcan, Neil Gallagher, Martin O’Reilly and Christy Toye come in for Michael Boyle, Thompson, Eoin McHugh and Colm McFadden.
Meanwhile, Tyrone skipper Sean Cavanagh is fit enough to lead the Red Hands into battle.
The Moy colossus has recovered from a knee injury that required surgery and is named to start at full-forward against the hosts.
But Tyrone are without goalkeeper and long-range placekicker Niall Morgan, who is ruled out with a groin problem but named on the bench.
Morgan is replaced between the sticks by Clonoe netminder Michael O’Neill, who’ll make his first championship debut, and there’s also a summer bow for Padraig McNulty at midfield.
All-Ireland U21 winning stars Rory Brennan, Mark Bradley and Cathal McShane are named on the bench.
Donegal:
1. Paul Durcan (The Four Masters)
2. Paddy McGrath (Ardara)
3. Neil McGee (Gweedore)
4. Eamonn McGee (Gweedore)
5. Ryan McHugh (Kilcar)
6. Karl Lacey (The Four Masters)
7. Frank McGlynn (Glenfin)
8. Neil Gallagher (Glenswilly)
9. Martin McElhinney (Naomh Mícheál)
10. Martin O’Reilly (Sean MacCumhaill’s)
11. Odhran MacNiallais (Gweedore)
12. Christy Toye (Naomh Mícheál)
13. Patrick McBrearty (Kilcar)
14. Michael Murphy (Glenswilly)
15. Hugh McFadden (Killybegs)
Subs:
16. Michael Boyle (Termon)
17. Eamonn Doherty (St Eunan’s)
18. Anthony Thompson (Naomh Conaill)
19. Colm McFadden (Naomh Mícheál)
20. Mark McHugh (Kilcar)
21. David Walsh (Naomh Bríd)
22. Daniel McLaughlin (Naomh Mícheál)
23. Ciaran McGinley (Kilcar)
24. Gary McFadden (Glenswilly)
25. Eoin McHugh (Kilcar)
26. Stephen Griffin (St Naul)
Tyrone
1. Michael O’Neill (Clonoe)
2. Aidan McCrory (Errigal Ciarán)
3. Ronan McNamee (Aghyaran)
4. Cathal McCarron (Dromore)
5. Ronan McNabb (Dromore)
6. Justin McMahon (Omagh)
7. Peter Harte (Errigal Ciarán)
8. Colm Cavanagh (Moy)
9. Padraig McNulty (Dungannon)
10. Tiernan McCann (Killyclogher)
11. Matthew Donnelly (Trillick)
12. Barry Tierney (Omagh)
13. Darren McCurry (Edendork)
14. Sean Cavanagh (Capt., Moy)
15. Connor McAliskey (Clonoe)
Subs:
16. Niall Morgan (Edendork)
17. Rory Brennan (Trillick)
18. Mark Bradley (Killyclogher)
19. Conor Clarke (Omagh)
20. Peter Hughes (Eskra)
21. Danny McBride (Strabane)
22. Conall McCann (Killyclogher)
23. Ryan McKenna (Eglish)
24. Joe McMahon (Omagh)
25. Cathal McShane (Owen Roe O’Neill)
26. Ronan O Neill (Omagh)
Pity to see him go. He was one of the best defenders to play the game
Ever !
That hook in the replay was pivotal.
And from a Tipp point of view – should a player of Callanan’s calibre and experience have allowed himself to be hooked? Remember how a young and inexperienced Shane O’Donnell batted the ball to the net in a similar situation in last years All Ireland.
Anyway JJ was quite simply a class defender – no arguments there!!
The sport has lost a lot of legends this summer. FairPlay JJ, an exceptional career from an exceptional player.
He’ll be the biggest loss of all the retirees. With the greatest of respect he was still first choice (and playing well) this summer while the other four were squad members and getting a few minutes off the bench here and there. Class player in fairness, he’ll leave a huge void on that defence. Phenomenal in the air and a fantastic reader of the game. Best wishes to him.
Jesus I was certain he would stay on and try get 10
One of the finest hurlers to ever grace the field
And toughest !
With all the 9 time winners retiring, Shefflin’s record may stand the test of time!
Some player. The most consistent hurler I’ve ever seen
Ah no. Please one more year. If he had been around in 1912 he would have blocked the hole in the titanic
One of the most complete defenders in the game, awesome talent, first on every team sheet. Thanks JJ for the fantastic memories. Gutted to see you go but every player must walk out to the sunset. Your Hook this year in the All Ireland is a fantastic final memory of a glittering career. You owe hurling nothing everything left on the pitch. Slan
Ah shite!
What a player, pity he didn’t go for his 10th all Ireland. Been a pleasure to watch over the years for both club and county.
Just a legend. Simple as that.
Have to say one of de greatest backs ever to Grace a hurling pitch, and that comes from a wexford man happy retirement jj
Best defender I ever saw and that’s from a Corkonian. Wing back was his best position. 2004 final, he was on one wing and Sean Og on the other. Both had blinders. Glad I was there to see it. No other player I ever saw can go from wing back to full back and be as good. I stayed quite on the other retirements but had to comment on this guy.
An awesome player Brian Cody called him the best defender he’s even seen !!! I think that says it all !!
Irreplaceable. Simple as that. As are tommy Walsh and Henry. Kilkenny will be strong next year but no one can fill these boots. And I’m a Tipp man.
Pity to see JJ retiring sad day!just hope jackie doesn’t follow suit now! Two rocks in the full back line for years!
Noel Hickey was replaced by JJ, Henery Shefflin filled the gap left by DJ… Don’t get too excited that KK will be a spent force… JJ was the best defender I ever seen play, plus a true gent
Great hurler great team, hopefully with alot of the old gaurd retiring they will be considerably weakened from a hopeful cork langer!!!
I say good. Great player but now that so many Kilkenny players are retiring maybe they will stop dominating every year and it will get more interesting.
Cian – sorry to tell you but, there are many more coming up this year – you may be (un)pleasantly surprised …
Haha. I know Dara. Unfortunately Kilkenny do have many more amazing players in their squad and coming through but I’d just love to see Limerick win one :)
Great hurler. Huge loss. Hard act to follow at fullback for Kilkenny.
Defending is an art form in itself. I doubt there has ever been a player who showcased it better. He was always on his mans shoulder, he had an intrinsic sense of where to hook or block, he knew how to shepard his man away from goal, he fouled inconspicuously, he fielded ball he had no right to, he was equally tough, brave and competitive. Not to mention his ability with the ball in hand. His hook on Callinan in the replay was a fitting final reminder to us all of his greatness.
There retiring before Cody gives them the cold shoulder!!!! As he would eventually !!
I suppose this means we can write them off now!
Haha, been written off before, but it’s a massive gap in defence to plug now.
Who was better, JJ or Tommy Walsh?
JJ.
JJ, only because he always keeps a cool head. Kilkenny wouldn’t have been so dominant without him in defence.