Brian Howard to make SFC starting debut against Wicklow

Sat, 26th May 2018

Dublin's senior football team to face Wicklow in Sunday's Leinster SFC quarter-final in O'Moore Park, Portlaoise (4.0) contains 11 players who started last year's All-Ireland final victory over Mayo.

The players who did not start in that dramatic final who have been listed to start against the Garden County are Eric Lowndes, Michael Darragh Macauley, Niall Scully and Brian Howard.

It will be a Championship starting debut for versatile Raheny clubman Howard who was part of last year's All-Ireland U21FC winning team. Brian also earned SFC experience when coming off the bench last summer before playing a more central role in this year's successful league campaign.

The four players who started last year's All-Ireland SFC final who will not be starting are Cian O'Sullivan, Jack McCaffrey, Paddy Andrews and Eoghan O'Gara.

Jack, who suffered a serious knee injury, in the early minutes of last September's final has returned to full competitive action recently for his club Clontarf. He impressed during the week in Clontarf's comprehensive AFL2 victory over St Anne's when playing for 55 minutes.

The winner on Sunday will go on to face either Longford or Meath in the Leinster SFC semi-final in Croke Park on Sunday, June 10 (4.0) along with the winners of Laois/Westmath v Carlow/Kildare (2.0).

DUBLIN (SFC v Wicklow)

1. Stephen Cluxton - Parnell's
2. Michael Fitzsimons - Cuala
3. Philly McMahon - Ballymun Kickhams
4. Eric Lowndes - St Peregrine's
5. James McCarthy - Ballymun Kickhams
6. Jonny Cooper - Na Fianna
7. John Small - Ballymun Kickhams
8. Michael Darragh Macauley - Ballyboden St Enda's
9. Brian Fenton - Raheny
10. Niall Scully - Templeogue Synge Street
11. Ciarán Kilkenny - Castleknock
12. Brian Howard - Raheny
13. Paul Mannion - Kilmacud Crokes
14. Dean Rock - Ballymun Kickhams
15. Con O'Callaghan - Cuala