Vaughan may yet be fit to play

THE Mayo senior football team management has announced the same team which started against Dublin last Sunday for the replay in Croke Park next Saturday evening.

However, it is expected there might be one or two changes to the team prior to throw-in at 5 p.m.

Donal Vaughan, who had to be replaced in the first half with a shoulder injury and was expected to miss the replay, may yet be able to play as his injury is not as bad as feared. Vaughan appears to be making a very good recovery and he will have a fitness test on Saturday morning to determine if he has recovered sufficiently to take his place.

Should Vaughan be unable to line out, it is highly likely that Patrick Durcan, who replaced him last Sunday and did extremely well, will be drafted in to the starting 15. Indeed, such was Durcan's fine performance that, regardless of Vaughan being able to take his place or not, the Castlebar Mitchels ace might still start, with Ballaghaderreen's David Drake dropping to the bench.

But Mayo joint managers Pat Holmes and Noel Connelly have already raised a few eyebrows with their starting team selections in the championship, which have already paid rich dividends, and may well do so again for the replay.

The selected Mayo team is: Robert Hennelly (Breaffy), Ger Cafferkey (Ballina Stephenites), Donal Vaughan (Ballinrobe), Keith Higgins (Ballyhaunis), Lee Keegan (Westport), Chris Barrett (Belmullet), Colm Boyle (Davitts), Seamus O'Shea (Breaffy), Tom Parsons (Charlestown Sarsfields), Diarmuid O'Connor (Ballintubber), Aidan O'Shea (Breaffy), Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore), David Drake (Ballaghaderreen), Cillian O'Connor (Ballintubber), Jason Doherty (Burrishoole).