Rafferty back in Armagh squad for Down game

Ethan Rafferty sustained a serious ankle injury while on outfield duty for his club Grange last July

Ethan Rafferty is back in the Armagh squad for the first time this season after being named on the bench for Saturday's Ulster Football semi-final against Down.

Rafferty, who was converted from an outfield player to a goalkeeper by Armagh boss Kieran McGeeney in 2022, has not played for the county since sustaining a serious ankle injury last July while on club duty for Grange.

Blaine Hughes remains as goalkeeper as Armagh's starting line-up for the Clones contest is unchanged from the dominant opening Ulster SFC win over Fermanagh.

There is one positional switch in attack with Conor Turbitt moving to right full-forward as Oisin Conaty drops back to the half-forward line.

Down reached the Ulster semi-final with an unimpressive 0-13 to 0-9 win over Antrim which has only increased the Orchardmen's favouritism for Saturday contest which throws in at 17:15 BST at St Tiernach's Park.

Kilpatrick named on Tyrone bench

Down manager Conor Laverty has made one change in personnel to his starting line-up as Jonny Flynn replaces Conor McCrickard.

Donegal and Tyrone have also both announced one change to their starting line-ups from last weekend's wins.

Skipper Patrick McBrearty is named in Donegal full-forward line in place of Aaron Doherty although the Kilcar man was initially selected for last weekend's stunning win over Derry, before a late change led to him starting the game on the bench.

McBrearty was introduced for the closing 16 minutes of the contest.

Goalkeeper Shaun Patton, who was forced off by a knock midway through the second half last weekend, does retain his place in a Donegal side that has a number of positional switches.

Tyrone's sole change from the side which started in the extra-time win over Cavan sees Joe Oguz taking over from their goalscorer last weekend Liam Gray.

Midfielder Conn Kilpatrick is named on the bench after missing nearly two months of action because of an ankle injury sustained against Kerry on 3 March.

Key forwards Darragh Canavan and Darren McCurry are passed fit after having to go off with cramp in extra time last weekend, but Peter Harte, Frank Burns and Conor Meyler remain out.

Armagh: B Hughes; P Burns, A McKay, P McGrane; J McElroy, Ciaran Mackin, A Forker (capt); R O'Neill, B Crealey; S Campbell, R Grugan, O Conaty; C Turbitt, A Murnin, J Og Burns.

Subs: E Rafferty, B McCambridge, T Kelly, G McCabe, Connaire Mackin, D McMullan, J Duffy, R McQuillan, A Nugent, O O'Neill, S McPartan

Down: J O'Hare; P Fegan, R McEvoy, C Doherty; M Rooney, P Laverty (capt), S Johnston; J Flynn, O Murdock; D Guinness, L Kerr, R Johnston; B O'Hagan, P Havern, D Magill.

Subs: K Anderson, R Magill, F McElroy, J Guinness, O Savage, C McCrickard, S Annett, R Mason, G McKibben, E Brown, P McCarthy

Donegal: S Patton; M Curran, B McCole, C Moore; R McHugh, C McGonagle, P Mogan; J McGee, M Langan; S O'Donnell, C Thompson, D O Baoill; P McBrearty (capt), O Gallen, N O'Donnell.

Subs: G Mulreany, K McGettigan, S McMenamin, O Doherty, D MacGiolla Bhride, J MacCeallbhui, H McFadden, J Brennan, A Doherty, JR Molloy, C MacAonghasa

Tyrone: N Morgan; C Devlin, P Hampsey, M McKernan; S O'Donnell, M Donnelly, N Devlin; B Kennedy, A Donaghy; C Daly, K McGeary, J Oguz; D McCurry, D Canavan, R Canavan.

Subs: L Quinn, A Clarke, B Cullen, C Cush, C Donnelly, C Kilpatrick, N McCarron, L McGarrity, C McShane, M O'Neill, T Quinn.