Dublin will shoot in to Hill 16 for the second half, while Donegal will play into the Davin Stand goals.

It's a big one to start the season in Newry for Conor Laverty's Down side as they look to return to Division Two at the first time of asking.

These sides did meet last summer as Down ran out resounding 17-point winners.

The Mourne County will be without Danny Magill (ACL tear) after his standout season and there are doubts over the fitness of midfielder Odhran Murdock.

Clare meanwhile, now have native Paul Madden in charge but he doesn't have marquee forward Emmet McMahon available due to injury while Keelan Sexton has retired.

The Bannermen were unlucky to miss out on promotion to the second tier themselves last season. They finished on ten points alongside Kildare and Offaly, who made the jump.

Down: Ronan Burns; Peter Fegan, Pierce Laverty, Finn Murdock; Pearse McPolin, Ryan Magill, Patrick McCarthy; Odhran Murdock, Ryan McEvoy; Daniel Guinness, Ceilum Doherty, Donal Scullion; Adam Crimmins, Pat Havern, John McGeough.

Clare: Stephen Ryan; Alan Sweeney, Ronan Lanigan, Manus Doherty; Cillian Brennan, Ikem Ugwueru, Fionn Kelleher; Brian McNamara, Darragh Bohannon; Brendy Rouine, Dermot Coughlan, Aaron Griffin; Eoin Cleary, Mark McInerney, Cormac Murray.

Tyrone are many people’s favourites to make an automatic return to the top flight after becoming the first team to be relegated from Division One with seven points last season.

Malachy O’Rourke, entering his second year at the helm, went on to lead the Red Hands to an All-Ireland semi-final where they were beaten by eventual champions Kerry.

Mainstay Peter Harte hasn’t been part of the squad in pre-season, that were beaten in the last four of the McKenna Cup by Monaghan. Mark Bradley has opted out of the year ahead, while 2021 Footballer of the Year Kieran McGeary is still travelling and is expected to miss the early part of the league.

Darragh Canavan is recovering from an ankle injury but makes the bench today, while brother Ruairi and Niall Devlin both pulled up with hamstring injuries against Down in the Dr McKenna Cup.

Fresh blood has been introduced though with seven U20 All-Ireland winners, from the three successful sides across the last four years, used in the warm-up tournament.

Meanwhile, 2025 Tailteann Cup winners Kildare are dealing with losses of their own following the retirements of David Hyland, Daniel Flynn, Mick O’Grady and Niall Kelly.

Darragh Kirwan, who starred against Limerick in the decider last summer scoring 0-8, is dealing with injury alongside key men James McGrath and Colm Dalton.

Like O’Rourke, Lilywhites manager Brian Flanagan has given minutes to some promising youngsters. Ben Lookman and goalscorer Liam Kelly struck 1-3 between them in the O’Byrne Cup final defeat to Westmeath last Friday night.

Tyrone: Niall Morgan; Cormac Quinn, Aidan Clarke, Joey Clarke; Ben Cullen, Michael McKernan, Ronan Cassidy; Joe Oguz, Conn Kilpatrick; Cathal Donaghy, Ciaran Bogue, Ciaran Daly; Michael Conroy, Matthew Donnelly, Ethan Jordan.

Subs: Oisin O'Neill, Nathan McCarron, Michael Rafferty, Rory Brennan, Frank Burns, Brian Kennedy, Conor O'Neill, Matthew Og McGleenan, Eoin McElholm, Darragh Canavan, Lorcan McGarrity.

Kildare: Cian Burke; Harry O’Neill, Padraic Spillane, Ryan Burke; James Harris, Eoin Lawlor, Brian Byrne; Callum Bolton, Brendan Gibbons; Brian McLoughlin, Alex Beirne, Liam Kelly; Ben Lookman, Kevin Feely, Eoin Cully.

Subs: Didier Cordonnier, Mark Dempsey, Mick Spillane, Dara Crowley, Darragh Mangan, Niall Dolan, Darragh Swords, Luke Killian, Ryan Sinky, Sam Doran, Colm Moran.

Image source, BBC Sport

Your commentary team in Healy Park is Thomas Niblock and Conor McManus

Image source, BBC Sport

Late drama at Wexford Park as the hosts have a free brought forward and with the last act, goalkeeper Mark Fanning buries the chance to snatch a late win and deny Antrim.

A late flurry of 1-3 in five minutes from Donegal have them six points to the good at the break.

The Tir Chonaill could be further ahead only for some wayward shooting with five first half wides.

Con O'Callaghan sends a 45 wide.

Wexford draw level in added time but Antrim break forward and hit back with a goal from Conor Johnston.

Three in a row for Donegal and it's the 2025 young footballer of the year Finnbarr Roarty who shoots over.

Donegal lead by two once more and this time it's Shane O'Donnell who fires over.

Conor O'Donnell goes on a great solo run and lands his second score.

Hugh McFadden kicks Donegal's sixth wide of the night.

Paddy Small kicks Dublin's first wide from long range.

Ten to play until half time.

Two points from Wexford's Simon Roche and Darren Codd halve the deficit with eight to go in the Division 1B hurling fixture.

Daire O Baoill kicks Donegal's fifth wide.

Con O'Callaghan lands his second two point score of the night, this time from a free.

Level again in Croke Park.

Conor O'Donnell swings over off his right boot and Donegal are once again two points to the good.

It's a bit of a slog in Wexford Park but Antrim hold a four-point lead entering the final 10 minutes.

Both sides down to 14 with Antrim's Gerard Walsh and Wexford's Richie Lawlor sent off after a tangle early in the second period.

Nathan Doran gets Dublin's first score in over 12 minutes and cuts the gap back down to one.