24 September 2003

Unchanged line-up for Armagh v Tyrone GAA final

Armagh and Tyrone have both named unchanged line-ups for this Sunday’s senior gaelic football championship final at Croke Park.

The news from the Armagh camp was no great surprise after the reigning champions came through their semi-final clash with Donegal without injury concerns.

John McEntee retains his place on the 40, flanked by Oisin McConville and Ronan Clarke. The familiar full forward trio of Steven McDonnell, Diarmuid Marsden and Tony McEntee, in a side with 11 players from the orchard county team that won the 2002 final.

Tyrone Manager Mickey Harte confirmed on Tuesday that veteran attacker, Peter Canavan, the only Tyrone player to take part in Tyrone’s previous all-Ireland senior final, would play following intensive treatment to an ankle injury.

It will be with no little relief that Tyrone fans will welcome the news that Canavan and Ciaran Gourley have made the Tyrone team to face Armagh.

Although some doubts remain over the match fitness of Tyrone corner back Gourley who picked up a shoulder injury during training, he has been named in the side and will play in side unchanged from that which ran out victorious over Kerry.

Cormac McAnallen will reprise his role as full back while Gavin Devlin takes centre back for his second championship match since returning from a three-month suspension.

Also returning is Ryan Mellon, who will be included in the official squad at Croke Park. Mellon has been out of action since the NFL final win over Laois, after he picked up a mystery illness.

The full line-ups for Sunday’s Bank of Ireland All-Ireland senior football final are:

Armagh: P Hearty; E McNulty, F Bellew, A Mallon; A O'Rourke, K McGeeney, A McCann; P Loughran, P McGrane; R Clarke, J McEntee, O McConville; S McDonnell, D Marsden, T McEntee.
Tyrone: J Devine; R McMenamin, C McAnallen, C Gourley; C Gormley, G Devlin, P Jordan; K Hughes, S Cavanagh; B Dooher, B McGuigan, G Cavlan; E McGinley, P Canavan, E Mulligan.

(SP)