DUBLIN boss Pat Gilroy today laughed off accusations by Aussie Rules scout Ricky Nixon that he threatened to drop four players from his squad if they attended an AFL trial camp yesterday.

The quartet, Paddy Andrews, Cian O’Sullivan, Rory O’Carroll and James McCarthy, were invited by Nixon to his ‘Flying Start’ agency’s trial in Gormanston College yesterday but after a no-show by the Dubs, Nixon told media they had been warned by Gilroy that their attendance would result in expulsion from his panel.

“Nobody asked me if they could go to any camp,” Gilroy stated at this morning’s announcement of his team to play Mayo in Castlebar on Sunday.

“I’ve no problem with it. If a fella wants to go to a camp, he can go to a camp. If a fella wants to give that game a go, it’s really none of my business. If they didn’t go, it’s nothing to do with me. Unless one of the selectors said something, but I sincerely doubt it. It’s their private business. It’s nothing to do with Dublin.”

Asked if he had a problem with Nixon’s claims, Gilroy responded: “I have nothing to do with that man. I’m quite glad that he has his business to do and I have my business to do.

It would be like if they were going for a job. It’s their professional career. I couldn’t tell a fella not to go for an interview for a job.” Just one of the four – O’Sullivan – starts against John O’Mahony’s men in a team that features five changes from Dublin’s last league outing against Derry.

Back into goals comes Stephen Cluxton for Michael Savage after the St Vincent’s stopper picked up a hamstring injury. It means that there is a place on the bench for the first time for former Ipswich Town ’keeper Shane Supple.

Philly McMahon comes back into the full-back line, with O’Carroll excused from service owing to Dublin’s U21 Leinster championship opener with Louth just 24 hours earlier.

Ger Brennan makes his first start of the season in place of James Brogan at left half back, David Henry and Paul Flynn rejoin the attack, while Michael MacAuley moves from centre-forward to the edge of the square.

Gilroy has named a provisional bench of 14, explaining that five of his starting line-up picked up knocks in club action last weekend. Darren Magee makes his comeback from a knee injury, though Barry Cahill (abductor), Alan Brogan (scaphoid), Conal Keaney (quad), Ross O’Carroll (quad) and Bryan Cullen (back) remain on the injury list.

All bar Cullen are expected to return within the next two to three weeks, though the Skerries Harps man is causing more concern after a back injury picked up in the Sigerson Cup final.

DUBLIN (SF v Mayo): S Cluxton; P Conlon, M Fitzsimons, P McMahon; P Griffin, C O’Sullivan, G Brennan; E Fennell, R McConnell; A Hubbard, P Flynn, K Bonner; D Henry, M MacAuley, K McManamon. Subs: S Supple, C McCormack, N O’Connor, H Gill, K Nolan, P Casey, J Brogan, D Carrigan, D Magee, C Murphy, T Diamond, B Brogan, D Kelly, B McManamon, P Andrews.