EOIN McEvoy has been named at centre half-back and Ciaran McFaul wears the number five jersey for Derry’s trip to the last chance saloon on Saturday evening in Newry.
After defeats to Galway and Armagh, Mickey Harte’s National League champions need to beat Westmeath at Pairc Esler to take third in the group and progress to a preliminary quarter-final. Defeat, which would have been unthinkable just a month ago, will mean the Oak Leafers bow out before the knockout stage.
McFaul, who was sent off against Armagh for a yellow and then a black card, and McEvoy come into the named starting line-up with Conor Doherty and Niall Toner dropping to the bench.
Derry: O Lynch; C McCluskey, C McKaigue, D Baker; C McFaul, E McEvoy, D Gilmore; C Glass, B Rogers; E Doherty, E Bradley, P Cassidy; E Mulholland, S McGuigan, L Murray
Subs: R Scullion, M Bradley, D Cassidy, C Doherty, M Doherty, S Downey, R Fobes, D McDermott, C McMonagle, C Murphy, N Toner
