Six set for first starts

Injuries to up to a half dozen expected starters have forced Meath manager Mick O'Dowd to hand first championship starts to six players for Sunday's Leinster SFC quarter-final clash with Wicklow at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday, 3.30pm.

Summerhill's Davy Dalton, Ballinabrackey's Nicky Judge, Ratoath's Brian Power and Skryne's Harry Rooney will all make their first championship appearance for Meath, while James McEntee and Joey Wallace will feature from the start for the first time as O'Dowd copes with an extensive injury list.

With Shane O'Rourke, Mickey Newman, Bryan Menton and Conor McGill all out with hand/finger injuries, Conor Gillespie missing because of a knee problem and Kevin Reilly a long term concern with hip issues O'Dowd has been left with the pair bones of a young panel.

There is no place for Mickey Burke or Eamon Wallace on the starting 15 and there has been no indication from the Meath camp to suggest the pair are injured.

Wicklow will travel to Navan on the back of an abysmal league campaign that say them finish joint bottom of NFL Div 4, but they will come with renewed hope of causing an upset against a team missing so many players.

Meath (v Wicklow) - Paddy O'Rourke; James McEntee, Donncha Tobin, Davy Dalton; Nicky Judge, Donal Keogan, Brian Power; Harry Rooney, Adam Flanagan; Graham Reilly, Padraic Harnan, Andy Tormey; Joey Wallace, Stephen Bray, Bryan McMahon.