Down star Benny Coulter is named in the Ireland training squad

Armagh's Kieran McGeeney, Ronan Clarke and Steven McDonnell and Tyrone's Sean Cavanagh and Stephen O'Neill are in Sean Boylan's squad.

Derry duo Paddy Bradley, Sean-Martin Lockhart, Down pair Michael Walsh and Brendan Coulter are also included.

The other Ulster representative in Donegal's Karl Lacey.

Boylan hopes to bring Cork's Setanta O hAlpin into the panel for the Tests on 28 October and 5 November.

Boylan said that the ongoing involvement of a number of players with their clubs in county championships and in the Interprovincial Championship had delayed the naming of a finalised panel.

"We are currently monitoring the progress of a number of players," he added.

"Some of the lads have not been able to attend as many of the training sessions as we would have liked because of club commitments in particular.

"There are also the usual worries with injuries and fitness, but after this weekend, we will have a clear indication of where we stand."

Boylan said he was delighted with the enthusiasm shown by all of the players involved but acknowledged that there would be difficult decisions to be made in terms of the final panel.

This first of this year's games will be played at Galway's Pearse Stadium followed by Croke Park.

Training Panel for France:

Tyrone: Sean Cavanagh, Stephen O'Neill

Armagh: Kieran McGeeney, Ronan Clarke, Stephen McDonnell

Derry: Paddy Bradley, Sean-Martin Lockhart

Down: Michael Walsh, Brendan Coulter

Donegal: Karl Lacey

Kerry: Aidan O Mahoney, Marc � S�, Paul Galvin, Kieran Donaghy, Brendan Guiney, Tadhg Kennelly (Sydney Swans & Kerry)

Meath: Kevin Reilly, Anthony Moyles, Graham Geraghty, Joe Sheridan, Charles McCarthy

Cork: Alan Quirke, Ger Spillane, Nicholas Murphy, Donncha O'Connor

Laois: Darren Rooney, Tom Kelly, Colm Begley (Brisbane Lions & Laois)

Dublin: Shane Ryan, Alan Brogan

Mayo: Alan Dillon, Ger Brady

Westmeath: Dessie Dolan

Limerick: Johnny McCarthy

Kildare: Dermot Early

Galway: Kieran Fitzgerald, Joe Bergin

Offaly: Karl Slattery

Longford: Paul Barden