Louth make a few Wee alterations

Despite recent lamentations from the Louth camp about being decimated by injuries and emigration, manager Peter Fitzpatrick has still been able to select a relatively strong line-up for the Navan clash.

In fact, the only change from the game that ensured Division Two survival at the Royals' expense sees Dreadnots man Liam Shevlin take over the full-back berth vacated by Dessie Finnegan, who is on his honeymoon.

With Shane Lennon a long-term injury absentee, Jim McEneaney (son of Monaghan boss Eamonn) will make his championship debut at full-forward.

McEneaney won't have to face Westmeath's first-choice full-back as Kieran Gavin has been ruled out with the quad muscle injury that has sidelined DCU's Sigerson-winning captain since mid-March. Garrycastle skipper John Gaffey takes up the No 3 beat.

Denis Glennon has shaken off a back injury to take his place in the inside forward line for brother David. Paul Sharry is listed alongside but could well revert to centre-back in a swap with veteran campaigner Michael Ennis.

Elsewhere, Longford's David Barden has shaken off his ankle injury in time for their Leinster showdown with Laois at Pearse Park.

SELECTIONS

LOUTH (SF v Westmeath): N Gallagher; P Rath, L Shevlin, G Hoey; R Finnegan, J Carr, D Byrne; P Keenan, R Carroll; D Crilly, M Brennan, A Reid; D Maguire, J McEneaney, D Clarke.

WESTMEATH (SF): G Connaughton; M Curley, J Gaffey, K Maguire; D Harte, M Ennis, D McDermott; J Heslin, P Bannon; K Martin, G Egan, J Dolan; Denis Glennon, David Glennon, P Sharry.

LONGFORD (SF v Laois): D Sheridan; D Brady, B Gilleran, D Reilly; C Smyth, M Quinn, S Mulligan; G McElvanney, J Keegan; D Barden, P Barden, N Mulligan; D McElligot, B Kavanagh, S McCormack.

LIMERICK (SF v Waterford): B Scanlon; J McCarthy, P Brown, L O'Dwyer; S Lavin, J Riordan, P Ranahan; T Lee, P Kinnerk; E Barry, E O'Connor, S Buckley; G Collins, S O'Carroll, I Ryan.

LAOIS (SH v Carlow): E Reilly; C Coonan, D Maher, G Burke; C Dunne, M Whelan, M McEvoy; J Walsh, S Hanlon; S Maher, B Dunne, W Hyland; T Fitzgerald, N Foyle, D O'Mahoney.

CARLOW (SH v Laois): F Foley; A Corcoran, E Nolan, E Coady; J Corcoran, S Kavanagh, R Coady; J Kavanagh, A Gaule; E Byrne, J Kane, C Doyle; M Kavanagh, M Brennan, D Roberts.

WESTMEATH (SH v Antrim): S McGovern; C Jordan, A Price, P Fennell; P Dowdall, A McGrath, P Greville; A Clarke, J Clarke; B Murtagh, F Boyle, R Greville; N O'Brien, J Shaw, E Price.

LOUTH (SH v Sligo): J Connolly; D McArdle, W Morrissey, M Wallace; D O'Sullivan, R Byrne, D Horan; S Callan, D O'Hanrahan; D Dunne, S Fennell, D Murphy; K McNally, B Corcoran, A Wallace.