All-Ireland SFC semi-final: Connolly not named in Dubs team for Tyrone game

It will be a surprise if Diarmuid Connolly does not get any action for Dublin against Tyrone

Diarmuid Connolly has not been named in the Dublin team for Sunday's All-Ireland Football semi-final against Tyrone at Croke Park.

Dubs boss Jim Gavin has selected an unchanged starting line-up from the quarter-final win over Monaghan.

Connolly is eligible to play again after serving a 12-week ban for pushing a linesmen in the win over Carlow.

Con O'Callaghan remains in a Dublin half-forward line which also includes Eric Lowndes and Ciaran Kilkenny.

There are no starting roles for Paul Flynn and Eoghan O'Gara although there is always the possibility that Gavin may make changes before the throw-in.

Such is the strength of the three-in-row seeking Dubs' panel, Gavin could make seven or eight changes and conceivably not weaken the team in any shape or form.

David Mulgrew has been rewarded for his goal-scoring heroics with a recall to the Tyrone team.

The Ardboe teenager came off the bench to help sink Armagh 3-17 to 0-8 by scoring two brilliant goals at the quarter-final stage.

Mulgrew comes into the starting fifteen in place of Declan McClure in the only change made by manager Mickey Harte.

Colm Cavanagh takes his place in midfield after overcoming a hip injury.

Skipper Sean Cavanagh will lead the side from full forward in his 89th championship appearance, now second only to Dublin goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton, who will make it number 90 in the eagerly anticipated clash of two of the game's giants.

The Cavanagh brothers and Peter Harte are the only Red Hand survivors from the side that started when the teams last met in the championship.

That was an All-Ireland quarter-final back in 2011, when the Dubs ran out comfortable 0-22 to 0-15 winners.

The last competitive meeting between the counties was in this year's Football League Division One when they finished level, 0-10 to 1-7, at Croke Park.

This will be the eighth championship meeting between the sides, Dublin having won four to Tyrone's two, while there has been one draw in the previous seven.

Tyrone are bidding to reach the All-Ireland final for the first time since 2008, having lost their last three semi-finals to Kerry, Mayo and Cork.

In contrast, Dublin are aiming to make it a fifth final in seven seasons, having triumphed in four of their last five semi-final encounters.

"Dublin are without question the best team of the last four, five or six years and must be close to being regarded as the best team ever. We hope we can dent their hopes of being thought of in that respect," said Harte.

"We have played them in the league and one ok but we haven't played them in the championship in their peak form for some time.

"They present a major challenge for us but we are a good emerging side as well and I believe we are capable of winning the game if we play to the full extent of our potential."

Dublin: S Cluxton; P McMahon, C O'Sullivan, M Fitzsimons; J Cooper, J Small, J McCaffrey; B Fenton, J McCarthy; C Kilkenny, C O'Callaghan, E Lowndes; P Mannion, P Andrews, D Rock.

Tyrone: N Morgan; A McCrory, R McNamee, C McCarron; T McCann, P Hampsey, P Harte; C Cavanagh, C McCann; D Mulgrew, N Sludden, K McGeary; M Bradley, S Cavanagh, M Donnelly.