Young guns for Mayo

Young guns in for Mayo

MIKE FINNERTY

MAYO manager John O’Mahony has handed senior championship debuts to Ballaghaderreen duo, David Kilcullen and Pierce Hanley for next Saturday’s All-Ireland SFC qualifier against Cavan at McHale Park, Castlebar.

Kilcullen (20) and Hanley (18) are named at centre-half back and centre-half forward respectively as O’Mahony makes seven changes in personnel to the team that lost to Galway in the Connacht SFC on May 20.

Goalkeeper Kenneth O’Malley, James Nallen, Ger Brady and Kevin O’Neill have all been dropped while Keith Higgins (injured), Pat Harte (suspended) and Enda Devenney (a viral infection) also miss out.

Only two players start in the same positions as they did against Galway, Alan Dillon (12) and Conor Mortimer (13), as Mayo’s management make sweeping changes to every line in the team.

Trevor Howley makes his first championship start at left-corner back, Trevor Mortimer has been relocated to left-half back, David Heaney partners David Brady at midfield, with Billy Padden now at right-half forward and Barry Moran selected at full-forward.

The match throws-in at 7pm at McHale Park.

MAYO

D Clarke; A Higgins, L O’Malley, T Howley; P Gardiner (captain), D Kilcullen, T Mortimer; D Brady, D Heaney; B Padden, P Hanley, A Dillon; C Mortimer, B Moran, A Moran.