Donnelly gets Armagh call

Joe Kernan to give new faces a run in McKenna Cup

Armagh manager Joe Kernan is ready to give a fresh impetus to the beaten All-Ireland finalists.

Kernan has called up John Paul Donnelly for his McKenna Cup debut agaisnt St Mary's.

Donnelly was recently voted Armagh's Senior Club player of the Year.

Donnelly joins Aaron Kernan, Oliver Gaughran, and Ronan Austin for the game which sees Armagh star Ronan Clarke featuring on the varsity side.

In one of the other McKenna Cup games, Barry Carty is lilkely to make his comeback for Fermanagh when they take on Donegal.

Sidelined by injury and spending time in Australia, Carty hopes to play his first senior start in almost three years.

Down boss Paddy O'Rourke is also hoping to shake up his side this season starting with an opener against Monaghan.

O'Rourke feels that there are four or five places up for grabs once the main battles commence in the New Year.

All told O'Rourke, now in his second term with the Mournemen, includes seven new faces, and said that it is up to them to prove they are worth a place in the panel.

McKenna Cup .
Section A: Derry v Antrim (Maghera)
Section B: Queen's University v Cavan (Kingscourt)
Section C: St Mary's Belfast v Armagh (Lurgan)
Monaghan v Down (Clones)