Fears in Longford have been averted that the county might be in danger of surrendering their National Football League points won against Westmeath last Sunday because of an illegal use of substitutes.
Six Longford replacements were used in the course of the game, but their use has been deemed to be within the rules, and the matter won't be pursued any further by the Westmeath County Board.
The prospect of a potential GAC investigation came about after it was confirmed that David Blessington had come back on for Paddy Dowd in the third minute of injury time - thus becoming Longford's sixth replacement.
Dowd had gone down injured and a stretcher was called to remove him from the field, but Blessington, crucially, had already been replaced during the game.
According to the Longford County Board, clearance was received to reintroduce Blessington once Dowd's injury had been regarded as necessitating a blood replacement.
Teams are still limited to a maximum of five regular replacements, but a sixth player can be introduced as a blood substitute provided he had already played, and replaces a player who is forced off with a blood injury - as Dowd clearly was.
Three years ago a substitute infringement cost Kildare dearly when, after beating Sligo, they were docked two points which ultimately resulted in them being relegated to Division Two.
Having opened their campaign with a victory over Kerry it means that Longford are now bidding for a third successive victory when they play All-Ireland champions Tyrone on Sunday.
The reigning league champions though have been hit with a further injury blow, with Colin Holmes, the man who played such a leading role at full back when they defeated Laois to retain the title last year, suffering a double fracture of a cheek bone against Fermanagh in Omagh last Sunday.
While Holmes did play through until the finish, an x-ray on the injury on Tuesday has forced him out of the game at Pearse Park on Sunday, and is likely to sideline him for several weeks.
Westmeath travel to face Fermanagh at Enniskillen without midfielder Rory O'Connell, who was red carded against Longford.
Manager Páidí Ó Sé has again made some changes with centre-back Damien Gavin being relegated to the substitutes, with John Keane taking over. Martin Flanagan is switched to midfield, with Shane Colleary drafted in at centre-forward. Dessie Dolan is also deemed fit enough to have his first starting role of the season having come on last Sunday to score six points.
Kerry, meanwhile, will not announce their team to play Dublin at Parnell Park until later today but they have already been hit hard with the non-availability of An Ghaeltacht players and the suspensions on defender Tom O'Sullivan and midfielder Séamus Scanlon.
The highly attractive All-Ireland club semi-final against St Brigid's on Sunday week robs Jack O'Connor of the services of the Ó Sé brothers, Darragh, Mark and Tomás, together with team captain, Dara Ó Cinnéide.
Corner forward, Colm Cooper, remains unavailable due to injury and it remains to be seen if Paul Galvin will be sufficiently recovered from the blow he received at the end of the game against Cork on Saturday night.
Dublin captain Ciarán Whelan is expected to be fully recovered from the stomach bug which apparently laid him low against Mayo and Senan Connell is also expected to be included in the line-up when Dublin announce their team just prior to throw-in.
Finally, several leading hurling managers will not be finalising team panels until well into the National Hurling League, which commences on Sunday week.
Kilkenny manager Brian Cody has announced a 30-strong panel, which includes newcomers James Fitzpatrick, Mark Phelan and Timmy Murphy, but the omission of former captain Andy Comerford and his O'Loughlin Gaels team mate Brian Dowling is not permanent, and Cody will revisit them after their All-Ireland club campaign.
In Clare, manager Anthony Daly is currently operating with a panel of 43 players, including several under-21's, and while that will be cut to 30 for the start of the league, it will remain open-ended. Tony Carmody has currently opted out because of work commitments, as has Eamonn Taffe, while David Forde has returned to full training.
Tipperary manager Ken Hogan has a similar plan, and has resisted any formal panel announcement. Several players, including Eugene O'Neill, Liam Cahill, Brian Horgan and Paul Ormonde are not currently part of the panel for various reasons, while others such as Philip Maher, Martin Maher and Noel Morris are some ways off because of injuries.
WESTMEATH: (SF v Fermanagh): G Connaughton; J Davitt, D O'Donoghue, F Murray; B Morley, J Keane, D Heavin; M Flanagan, D O'Shaughnessy; F Wilson, S Colleary, J Fallon; D Glennon, D Dolan, A Mangan.
DERRY (SF v Down): B Gillis; SM Lockhart, K McCloy, D Scullion; R Lynch, K McGuckin, F McEldowney; F Doherty, E Muldoon; C O'Brien, C Gilligan, C Moran; P O'Neill, G McGonigle, C Mullan.
