Brogan and Flynn miss out for champions

THERE is no room for four-time All-Ireland winner and former Footballer of the Year Bernard Brogan in the Dublin line-up to face Carlow in tonight’s Leinster Championship quarter-final with young gun Con O’Callaghan starting at full-forward. Jim Gavin has shaken up things with Eric Lowndes and Niall Scully also named in defence and James McCarthy making a natural switch to midfield in the absence of Michael Darragh Macauley. Like Brogan, Paul Flynn is another big-name absentee with Paul Mannion instead picked in the half-forward line. With Philly McMahon out due to a one-match suspension, there are six changes in total from the team beaten by Kerry in the Allianz Football League final, a defeat which ended a 36-game unbeaten streak. Jonny Cooper returns to full-back and Jack McCaffrey is back in the wing-back role that he made his name on. Elsewhere, former Hurler of the Year Tony Kelly is riding shotgun alongside another former All-Star Podge Collins in a star-studded Clare half-forward line selected to play against Limerick in tomorrow’s Munster semi-final. John Conlon completes the line in a front six that has serious scoring power. Conor McGrath is back from injury to take his place at fullforward and he is

flanked by Aron Shanagher who impressed in the League and Shane O’Donnell, to be forever remembered for his hat-trick in the 2013 All-Ireland hurling final.

With Colm Galvin and David Reidy named at midfield, it’s an offensiveminded line-up for the clash in Thurles. Despite Clare’s glorious summer in 2013, it’s 2008 since the county featured in a Munster final.

After a first Leinster senior football championship victory in six years, Carlow have named an unchanged side as they look to take on the daunting prospect of All-Ireland holders Dublin at Portlaoise this evening.

The Meath team to play Louth in tomorrow’s quarter-final at Parnell Park features two debutants, Shane McEntee at left half-back and Ronan Jones at midfield. CLARE (SHC v Limerick): A Fahy; S Morey, D McInerney, P O’Connor; D Fitzgerald, C Cleary, G O’Connell; C Galvin, D Reidy; T Kelly, P Collins, J Conlon; A Shanagher, C McGrath, S O’Donnell. LIMERICK (SH v Clare) N Quaid; S Finn, R McCarthy, M Casey; D Morrissey, D Hannon, S Hickey; P Brown, J Ryan; S Dowling, D Dempsey, C Lynch; P Casey, K hayes, G Mulcahy. CARLOW (SFC v Dublin): C Kearney; C Crowley, S Redmond, C Lawlor; D Moran, D St Ledger, G Kelly; B Murphy, S Murphy; E Ruth, D Foley, A Kelly; P Broderick, C Moran, J Murphy. DUBLIN (SFC v Carlow): S Cluxton; M Fitzsimons, J Cooper, E Lowndes; N Scully, C O’Sullivan, J McCaffrey; B Fenton, J McCarthy; C Kilkenny, D Connolly, P Mannion; K McManamon, C O’Callaghan, D Rock. MEATH (SFC v Louth): P O’Rourke; M Burke, C McGill, D Tobin; P Harnan, D Keogan, S McEntee; B Menton, R Jones; J McEntee, C O’Sullivan, E Wallace; G Reilly, B McMahon, D Lenihan. KILDARE (SFC v Laois): M Donnellan; M O’Grady, D Hyland, O Lyons; J Byrne, E Doyle, K Cribbin; K Feely, T Moolick; F Conway, N Kelly, P Cribbin; D Slattery, D Flynn, C McNally. LAOIS (SFC v Kildare): G Brody; D Strong, D Booth, S Attride; E Buggie, P McMahon, D O’Connor; B Quigley, C Begley; A Farrell, J O’Loughlin, N Donoher; E O’Carroll, D Kingston, P Kingston.