Some Mayo big guns ready to return

BACK IN ACTION Mayo's Lee Keegan is expected to line out against Donegal in Ballybofey on Sunday. Pic: Sportsfile

Mike Finnerty

ALL Star defenders Keith Higgins and Lee Keegan both look set to start for Mayo against Donegal in the National Football League next Sunday (Ballybofey, 2pm), but Kevin McLoughlin (hamstring), Tom Parsons (hip) and Donie Vaughan (hamstring) are all doubtful due to injuries.
Stephen Rochford will also be awaiting updates this week on Chris Barrett, Seamie O’Shea, David Clarke, Andy Moran, Alan Dillon and Mickey Conroy who have all returned to training.
However, next Sunday’s game may come too soon for most of them to feature in Mayo’s match-day squad of 26.
Mark Ronaldson and Stephen Coen, who helped UCD to win the Sigerson Cup last Saturday, are also back in the frame for next weekend.
Coen, who missed Mayo’s defeats to Cork and Dublin due to club commitments with Hollymount/Carramore, kicked UCD’s last score in their 0-12 to 0-10 final win over DCU.
Definitely out of contention for the Donegal clash are Alan Freeman, Caolan Crowe, Andrew Farrell and Kevin Keane, who all picked up injuries in training recently.
The Mayo team to play Donegal will be announced after training on Friday night.

London camp
MEANWHILE, The Mayo News has learned that the Mayo senior football squad will be staying in London for a week-long training camp after their Connacht SFC opener against the Exiles on Sunday, May 29.
It is understood that the Connacht champions have decided to make use of some of the top-class sporting facilities in the English capital, and will extend their stay in London rather than travel to a warm-weather training destination like in previous years.
Mayo begin the defence of their provincial title with a quarter-final against London in Ruislip.

Venue change
ELSEWHERE, Mayo’s National League clash with Monaghan on Sunday, March 6 will now be played in St Tiernach’s Park in Clones, and not Castleblayney as was originally stated.
The Mayo News understands that the reason behind the venue change relates to an issue with the capacity of the Castleblayney venue.
Mayo GAA are believed to have in the region of 4,000 officially-registered Season Ticket holders, between the Croke Park scheme and Cairde Maigheo.
Under the terms of the Season Ticket scheme, these supporters are entitled to stand tickets ‘where possible’ for Mayo’s National League and Championship fixtures.