Mayo dual star Keith Higgins has been named in Mayo hurling manager JP Coen’s starting 15 for Saturday’s Nicky Rackard Cup semi-final against Donegal in Letterkenny at 3.30pm. The Ballyhaunis native will line out for the Mayo hurling side just eight days before the senior footballers get their championship season underway in London next weekend.
Coen and his management team have kept their faith in the same 15 who comprehensively defeated Armagh in the previous round of the competition. If Mayo win on Saturday they will face either Armagh or Fingal in the final of the competition which is scheduled to take place in Croke Park on Saturday, June 4.
The Mayo team is as follows
1 Donal O’Brien, (Ballyhaunis )
2 Eoghan Collins, (Ballyhaunis )
3 Gerard McManus, (St. Jude’s )
4 Brian Hunt, (Ballyhaunis )
5 Cathal Freeman, (Tooreen )
6 Padraig O’Flynn, (Castlegar )
7 Austin Lyons, (Ballyhaunis )
8 Ciaran Charlton, (Tooreen )
9 Kieran McDermott, (Ballyhaunis )
10 Sean Regan, (Tooreen )
11 Keith Higgins, (Ballyhaunis )
12 Joseph McManus, (St. Jude’s )
13 Darren McTigue, (Castlebar Mitchels )
14 Kenny Feeney, (Tooreen )
15 Shane Boland, (Tooreen )
McLoughlin shakes up the juniors
Mayo junior manager Sean McLoughlin has made a number of changes to his side from the one that beat Sligo in the semi-final of the Connacht Junior Championship two weeks ago. Amongst the changes made by McLoughlin is the introduction of Eoin O'Donoghue and Shairoze Akram who were both recently part of the Mayo u21 side that won the All Ireland championship. Mayo will take on Galway this Sunday, in Carrick on Shannon at 1.30pm.
The Mayo team is as follows
1. Shane Nallen (Belmullet )
2. Eoin O’Donoghue (Belmullet )
3. Niall Freeman (Aghamore )
4. Sean Gaughan (Belmullet )
5. Cormac Reape (Knockmore )
6. Padraig Feerick (Hollymount/Carramore )
7. Shairoze Akram (Ballaghaderreen )
8. Peter Collins (Islandeady )
9. Gary Keane (Westport )
10. Michael Togher (Belmullet )
11. Michael Forde (Ballycastle )
12. Sean Kelly (Moy Davitts )
13. Ronan Mallee (Kiltimagh )
14. Andrew Farrell (Killala, Captain )
15. Darren Coen (Hollymount/Carramore )
Subs
16. Keith Hennelly (The Neale )
17. Adam Gallagher (Mayo Gaels )
18. Liam Ketterick (Westport )
19. Robert Holian (The Neale )
20. Thomas Carmody (Ballaghaderreen )
21. Kevin Gibbions (Louisburgh )
22. Brendan Moran (Cill Chomain )
23. Barry Leonard (Lahardane )
24. James Kelly (Belmullet )
