All-Ireland Football qualifiers: Antrim drop McGourtys and Burke

CJ McGourty and his brother Kieran and Conor Burke played for their club St Gall's in a hurling relegation match on Friday night

Antrim have dropped brothers CJ and Kieran McGourty and Conor Burke for Saturday's All-Ireland SFC qualifier against Laois after the trio played in a club hurling game on Friday.

The two McGourtys and Burke lined out for St Gall's in a club game that had relegation implications.

Reports suggest that St Gall's made attempts to have the date of the game changed but were unsuccessful.

Antrim's late changes will only increase Laois's favouritism.

The Saffrons are already without several players who would be regarded as being among the best in the county.

These include the McCann brothers, Michael and Thomas, plus the likes of Kevin Niblock, Kevin O'Boyle, Sean Kelly and Brian Neeson.