PAUL RYAN AND Conor McCormack both return to the Dublin starting XV for Sunday’s win-or-bust Division 1A relegation play-off against Galway in Tullamore.
The attacking duo missed the final two games of the regular season after picking up injuries in the defeat to Kilkenny but both have been passed fit to make their comeback this weekend.
Their inclusion comes amid a raft of changes made by Anthony Daly. With his side already condemned to a place in the relegation play-offs, the Dubs boss named a weakened team for last weekend’s four-point defeat against Waterford.
Peter Kelly, who hasn’t featured for the Dubs since the opening round loss against Galway in Salthill, makes only his second appearance of the season at full-back while Ross O’Carroll makes his seasonal debut alongside Ryan and Liam Rushe in the full-forward line.
Anthony Cunningham has made five changes to his Galway side ahead of Sunday’s game, though there is no place in the starting XV for star forward Joe Canning who said yesterday that the game had come a little too soon for his return from a shoulder injury.
Feargal Flannery, Kevin Hynes, David Burke, Conor Cooney and Davy Glennon all return to the starting line-up.
Dublin: Gary Maguire; Niall Corcoran, Peter Kelly, Ruairí Trainor; Paul Schutte, Joey Boland, Shane Durkin; Johnny McCaffrey (c), Michael Carton; Conor McCormack, Ryan O’Dwyer, Danny Sutcliffe; Ross O’Carroll, Liam Rushe, Paul Ryan.
Galway: Feargal Flannery; Kevin Hynes, David Collins, Gerard O’Halloran; Niall Donohoe, Fergal Moore, Tony Óg Regan; David Burke, Andy Smyth; Conor Cooney, Niall Burke, Barry Daly; Damian Hayes, James Regan, Davy Glennon.