No changes to Roscommon senior and minor teams as crunch games loom

AS a big weekend of Gaelic football approaches for Roscommon supporters, it's been announced that no changes have been made to either the county senior or minor teams ahead of their respective important matches against Tyrone and Mayo. Senior team manager Des Newton has opted to stick to the same starting line-up that defeated Armagh in the first round of the All-Ireland Qualifiers. Cathal Dineen is absent for the second game running through injury. St Dominic's midfielder Michael Finneran, who was unable to start against Armagh, but did appear as a substitute in that game, is not in the starting team, as Clann na nGael's Cathal Shine continues at midfield alongside St Brigid's Karol Mannion. Senan Kilbride, of St Brigid's, and Clann's Donie Shine will be expected to lead from the front, as Roscommon try to avenge last year's All-Ireland Qualifiers defeat to the O'Neill County (Saturday, Dr Hyde Park, 2pm). Meanwhile, Newton's minor counterpart Garreth Carroll has also stuck to the same starting team that knocked out Galway in the Connacht MFC semi-final, ahead of Sunday's clash with Mayo in the minor provincial final (Dr Hyde Park, 12 noon). That means the South Roscommon contingent remains very strong in the line-up, with St Brigid's goalkeeper Shane Mannion starting between the posts, and Padraig Pearses Ronan (voted the official Man of the Match against Galway) in defence. Clann's Ultan Harney partners Strokestown's Thomas Corcoran at midfield, while Ruardhri McManus, also Clann, could be a key competent of Roscommon's attack. Roscommon Senior team v Tyrone: Geoffrey Claffey; Seanie McDermott; Niall Carty; Sean Purcell; Neil Collins, Peter Domican; Ian Kilbride; Cathal Shine; Karol Mannion; Niall Kilroy; Cathal Cregg; Niall Daly; Senan Kilbride; Colin Compton; Donie Shine. Roscommon Minor team v Mayo: Shane Mannion; Philip Neilan, Dennis Barron, Cathal Kenny, Tadhg McKenna, Conor Hussey, Ronan Daly, Ultan Harney, Thomas Corcoran, Cathal Compton, Ruardhri McManus, Enda Smith, Diarmuid Murtagh, Kevin Finn, Michael Gunning.