Meath get ready for Longford test
The countdown to Sunday's Leinster SFC clash between Meath and Longford has really got underway with Colm O'Rourke and his selectors announcing the team for the game at Pearse Park.
Ross Ryan is included in the team and is one of four players making their Leinster SFC debuts. The others are be Sean Brennan, Ciaran Caulfield and Eoghan Frayne.
Ryan made his previous appearance in the last eight encounter with Kerry back in 2019 and 1,710 days later, he will make his first championship start when lining out at centre back on Sunday.
The Summerhill clubman impressed in the final round defeat to Donegal in the Allianz Football League and moves inside from the left half back berth he occupied that evening to the centre back role he has made his own at club level with Summerhill.
Having missed out on the entirety of the League campaign through injury, Jordan Morris makes his return to the fold at top of the right in what is a new look full forward line alongside Mathew Costello and James Conlon, another player who showed well against Donegal a fortnight ago.
The experienced Donal Keogan lines out for his fiftieth Championship appearance on Sunday and he reverts to the full back line where he is partnered by Adam O’Neill and Harry O’Higgins. Ross Ryan anchors the defensive effort at six with Ciaran Caulfield and Sean Coffey returning to the side to fill the wing back berths.
Team captain Ronan Jones will pull on his now customary number eight jersey and he is joined for this game by Daithí McGowan who pushes outfield from the wing forward berth he filled during the Allianz League. Eoghan Frayne leads the attack at centre forward with Shane Walsh and Cathal Hickey manning the wing forward berths.
Among the replacements, there is a welcome return to the match-day 26 for the first time in 2024 for the Tailteann Cup winning full back Ronan Ryan while there could potentially be Leinster Championship debuts for Billy Hogan, Cian McBride, Michael Murphy, Ruairí Kinsella and Sean Rafferty off the bench.