Mick O'Dwyer has delayed naming a Laois football team until tomorrow night owing to a number of ongoing injuries.

Last year's captain, Chris Conway, is struggling to recover from a thigh strain sustained just days before the Derry victory on August 6th. The injury limited his mobility and forced him off at half-time, with Beano McDonald coming in to good effect.

Kevin Fitzpatrick was also replaced at half-time, having failed to shine, but was declared fit after training last night.

Whether either, even if fit, would retain his place is unlikely anyway, as McDonald and Stephen Kelly excelled as second-half replacements in the fourth-round qualifier.

Barry Brennan is another concern - after missing the Derry match with a dodgy hamstring - but he is expected to come back in, as replacement Shane Cooke was also substituted for Stradbally's Gary Kavanagh.

However, Colin Begley (hip) and Kevin Fitzpatrick (long-term groin problem) both sat out last night's session in O'Moore Park.

Armagh manager Joe Kernan can select from a fully fit panel tomorrow night after a five-week lay-off. Ciarán McKeever and Paul McGrane are available again after Central Council lifted their four-week suspensions last Saturday on a technicality.

Tyrone have received a significant boost with Colin Holmes now available for selection against Dublin in the All-Ireland quarter-final replay on Saturday week. The midfielder recovered from a long-term knee injury to take his place on the bench for last weekend's drawn game, but it is unlikely he will start.

"He trained with the team on Thursday night for the first time with the group," said Harte.

"He's now available again, if he got another couple of weeks training behind him.

"He's been off now for almost 10 weeks, and that was the time he was expected to be out for. It would be an extreme thing to start him after being off for that length of time, but at least he's available to be used."

Centrefield was an area exposed by Dublin in the first half last Saturday when Ciarán Whelan caught nine clean balls. After the break, though, Conor Gormley was switched to defence and Seán Cavanagh to the half forwards as Enda McGinley and Joe McMahon restored parity in the middle.

In hurling, Kilkenny are not expected to select a team until Friday evening, while a Galway team will be announced tomorrow, the dead leg of free-taker Ger Farragher expected to respond to treatment.

Further doubts do, however, surround Kevin Hayes and Niall Healy, the teenager's hand unlikely to heal in time.

The fallout from Tipperary's exit at the All-Ireland hurling quarter-final stage this year was addressed by chairman Donal Shanahan at a county board meeting last night.

Shanahan has called for an end to rumours about "the role of certain players in the week prior to the Galway game".

"These rumours have no basis or foundation, are absolutely untrue, and it seems their only purpose is to damage the reputation of some of our players. Are the people that spread these rumours genuine Tipperary supporters?

"I am asking and appealing to those who are spreading these unfounded rumours to stop and think of the damage, hurt and pain they maybe causing to the families of these players," said Shanahan.