Mayo name six newcomers for London

Mayo name six newcomers for London


Mike Finnerty

SIX Mayo players will make their senior championship debuts in the Connacht SFC quarter-final against London next Sunday.
Mayo manager James Horan has handed first championship starts to goalkeeper Robert Hennelly, full-back Alan Feeney, wing-back Richie Feeney, midfielders James Kilcullen and Jason Gibbons, and corner-forward Jason Doherty.
Donal Vaughan has been selected at centre-half back after being out of action for eight months with a groin injury. Next Sunday will be his first competitive start for Mayo since last June’s All-Ireland SFC Qualifier defeat to Longford.
Trevor Howley, who is named at number thirteen but expected to operate as a sweeper, has also been recalled to the Mayo side after being sidelined for four months with an ankle problem.
Despite impressive showings in training recently, Shrule/Glencorrib’s Dermot Geraghty and Trevor Mortimer have to be content with a place among the Mayo substitutes.
The likes of David Clarke, Peadar Gardiner, Aidan O’Shea, Kevin McLoughlin and Enda Varley are also included among Mayo’s eleven replacements.
Keith Higgins, Ronan McGarrity, Seamus O’Shea and Neil Douglas were not considered for next weekend’s game due to their injury problems.
Interestingly, James Horan has selected only seven of the Mayo side that started that ill-fated All-Ireland Qualifier against Longford last summer.
Those survivors are Chris Barrett, Ger Cafferkey, Donal Vaughan, Trevor Howley, Andy Moran, Alan Freeman and Alan Dillon.
Sunday’s game will throw-in at Ruislip at 3pm.

Mayo
R Hennelly; T Cunniffe, A Feeney, G Cafferkey; R Feeney, D Vaughan, C Barrett; J Kilcullen, J Gibbons; A Campbell, A Moran, A Dillon (captain); T Howley, A Freeman, J Doherty.
Subs: D Clarke, D Geraghty, P Gardiner, A O’Shea, E O’Reilly, L Keegan, T Mortimer, K McLoughlin, C O’Connor, J Burke, E Varley.