Antrim v Cavan

ULSTER CHAMPIONSHIP
Venue: Casement Park. Date: Sunday, 18 May. Throw-in: 1545 BST.
Coverage: Live: BBC NI, Radio Ulster MW and on the BBC NI website

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Rabbitte only recently returned to action after a cruciate injury

Darren Rabbitte has been ruled out of Cavan's Ulster Senior Football Championship opener against Antrim at Casement Park on Sunday.

Rabbitte only returned to action recently following a cruciate ligament injury but he suffered cartilage damage in a recent challenge win over Meath.

The Breffni County are also expected to be without injured Ray Cullivan.

However, Nicholas Walsh and Anthony Forde are available after recovering from hamstring injuries.

While Rabbitte has suffered a further setback, Cavan's medical staff are confident that the player will be available for the county's next championship game after the Antrim clash.

Veteran Dermot McCabe is expected to start at midfield in Belfast while the Breffni County will be hoping that Seanie Johnston can maintain the fine form that he showed during the National League.

Cavan suffered relegation from Division 2 in the league but they did claim a victory over last year's beaten All-Ireland finalists Cork.

In addition, Cavan lost several tight games - including a one-point defeat by Armagh.

606: DEBATE Give your Championship predictions

"The only game that we were well-beaten in was the Monaghan match," Cavan PRO Mark Gillick told BBC Sport Interactive.

"But we know that the game in Belfast is a potential banana skin so we won't be taking them lightly at all.

"We beat Meath in a challenge game recently and we played fairly well so we'll reasonably optimistic."

Johnston will be joined in the squad for the Casement Park clash by Martin Cahill and Paul Brady.

All three infuriated manager Donal Keoghan last summer when they opted to head to the US to play club football instead of remaining with the squad during the All-Ireland qualifiers.

At the time, Keoghan vowed never to pick any of the three players again but all three are now back in contention.

"Donal was very disappointed at the time but Cavan needs to have every footballer available and Donal was big enough to go back on what he said to the media last summer and take them back for the good of the county."