McCarthy, Dublin’s captain, missed their opening group win over Roscommon. He also sat out all but one of Dublin’s league games.
After the Roscommon victory, Dessie Farrell explained: “James picked up an injury the last day, the Louth game, so he’s had a rough time of it with injuries over the season.
“I think a lesser man would have given up at this stage of his career but he is working hard on his rehab and recovery and we hope to see him before the end of the qualifiers.”
Gannon, who has become a mainstay of the Dublin defence over the past three years, hasn’t played since picking up a hamstring injury against Mayo in Castlebar on March 3.
Damien Comer, Seán Kelly and Rob Finnerty are all missing from the Galway squad for Sunday’s trip to Cusack Park to face Westmeath in the second round of this year’s All-Ireland series.
Comer was subbed during Galway’s recent win over Derry, hobbling off shortly after half-time. Finnerty, Pádraic Joyce explained after that game, “got a knock on the knee” but like Comer, is not included in the 26.
Kelly scored an important goal in that game but was subbed shortly after the hour mark and is listed only among the names of Galway’s extended panel members for the game.
The trio are replaced by Cein Darcy, Liam Ó Conghaile and Cillian McDaid in Galway’s starting 15.
For Mayo, Aidan O’Shea returns to the starting line for their trip to Dr Hyde Park. He replaces Diarmuid O’Connor in Kevin McStay’s starting 15 in what will be his 89th championship appearance, a record for an outfield player along with Seán Cavanagh.
GALWAY: C Gleeson; J McGrath, S Fitzgerald, J Glynn; D McHugh, J Daly, L Silke; P Conroy, J Maher; J Heaney, M Tierney, C Darcy; L Ó Conghaile, S Walsh, C McDaid
WESTMEATH: J Daly; J Gonoud, K Maguire, J Dolan; S McCartan, R Wallace, D Lynch; R Connellan, A McCormack; J Lynam, R O’Toole, C Dillon; L Loughlin, J Heslin, R Forde
DERRY: O Lynch; C McCluskey, C McKaigue, D Baker; C Doherty, E McEvoy, E Bradley; C Glass, B Rogers; E Doherty, C McFaul, P Cassidy; N Toner, S McGuigan, L Murray.
ARMAGH: B Hughes; B McCambridge, A McKay, P McGrane; J McElroy, C Mackin, A Forker; R O’Neill, B Crealey; S Campbell, R Grugan, T Kelly; O Conaty, A Murnin, C Turbitt.
ROSCOMMON: C Carroll; D Murray, B Stack, N Higgins; N Daly, R Dolan, E McCormack; T O’Rourke, E Smith; D Ruane, D Smith, C Lennon; C Cox, D Cregg, D Murtagh.
MAYO: C Reape; J Coyne, D McBrien, D McHugh; S Coen, S Callinn, E McLoughlin; J Carney, M Ruane; D McHale, R O;’Donoghue, J Flynn; A O’Shea, T Conroy, C O’Connor.
DUBLIN: S Cluxton; E Murchan, M Fitzsimons, S MacMahon; B Howard, J Small, S Bugler; B Fenton, T Lahiff; N Scully, C Costello, C Kilkenny; P Mannion, C O’Callaghan, C Basquel.
CORK: C Kelly; K Flahive, D O’Mahony, M Shanley; R Maguire, T Walsh, M Taylor; I Maguire, C O’Callaghan; Paul Walsh, S Powter, B O’Driscoll, C Óg Jones, C Corbett, B Hurley.
DONEGAL: S Patton; E Gallagher, B McCole, C Moore; C McGonagle, P Mogan; J McGee, M Langan; S O’Donnell, C Thompson, D Ó Baoill; P McBrearty, O Gallen, P McBrearty
TYRONE: N Morgan; N Devlin, P Hampsey, M McKernan; B Cullen, M Donnelly, K McGeary; B Kennedy, C Kilpatrick; C Daly, M O’Neill, S O’Donnell; D McCurry, D Canavan, R Canavan
CLARE: S Ryan; M Doherty, C Brennan, R Lanigan; A Sweeney, C Rouine, I Ugwueru; B McNamara, D Bohannon; D Walsh, D Coughlan, G Murray; C Downes, A Griffin, E McMahon.
MEATH: B Hogan; D Keogan, A O’Neill, R Ryan; H O’Higgins, D Campion, S Coffey; R Jones, C McBride; C Caulfield, C O’Sullivan, C Hickey; J Conlon, M Costello, E Frayne
KERRY: S Ryan; D Casey, J Foley, T O’Sullivan; B Ó Beaglaoich, M Breen, G White; D O’Connor, J O’Connor; T Brosnan, P Clifford, C Burke; D Clifford, S O’Shea, P Geaney.
MONAGHAN: R Beggan; R Wylie, K Duffy, R O’Toole; J Irwin, K Lavelle, C McCarthy; G Mohan, K O’Connell; S O’Hanlon, M Bannigan, M Hamill; C McNulty, J Wilson, C McManus
LOUTH: N McDonnell; D McKenny, D Corcoran, P Lynch; C McKeever, A Williams, C Lennon; T Durnin, B Duffy; N Sharkey, C Keenan, C Grimes; R Burns, S Mulroy, C Downey