GAELIC GAMES TEAM NEWS:JACK O'CONNOR dealt with the Australian exodus and retirements several months ago, but last night the Kerry football manager announced a championship team without any consideration given to Darragh Ó Sé for the first time in 17 years.
Along with the retirement of Ó Sé and All Star goalkeeper Diarmuid O’Sullivan, Tommy Walsh followed Tadhg Kennelly to Australia to take up an AFL contract with St Kilda. Nevertheless, the defending All-Ireland champions begin their Munster campaign against Tipperary in Thurles on Sunday with a raft of household names.
The focus, however, remains on the Ó Sé family, with younger brothers Tomás and Marc recovering from a leg muscle and ankle injuries respectively to take their places in either defensive line.
Micheal Quirke is named in midfield alongside Séamus Scanlon while Kilcummin’s Brendan Kealy is the new goalkeeper.
Aidan O’Mahony is believed to be returning to training in the coming weeks but Mike McCarthy’s natural athleticism allows him to come straight into the side at centre back despite missing the national league.
Donnacha Walsh’s progress was stalled last season by Kennelly’s brief return from the Sydney Swans but he joins Paul Galvin and Declan O’Sullivan in a potent half forward line. Last year’s captain Darren O’Sullivan loses out as Bryan Sheehan’s free-taking expertise is likely to be utilised in the full forward line, although he may drift outfield as Colm Cooper, fully recovered from eye surgery, and Kieran Donaghy renew their tag-team role around the square’s edge.
Kerry are 3 to 1 second favourites to win the All-Ireland behind Cork at 9 to 4.
Tipperary are without Aidan Fitzgerald and Séamus Grogan, who were both forced to emigrate to find employment but manager John Evans reports no injury concerns
Evans is a Kerryman and a typically shrewd football one at that. He guided Laune Rangers to the All-Ireland club championship in 1996 and his tenure in Tipperary has seen them climb from Division Four to Division Two of the National Football League.
Tipperary have been priced at 7 to 1 by bookmakers Paddy Power to win the game.
Carlow manager Luke Dempsey’s has brought Thomas Walsh back into the team after the midfielder’s work as a quantity surveyor took him across the county border and into Wicklow for the past three seasons. His first game back, ironically enough, is against Wicklow in Portlaoise on Sunday.
Dempsey has named five debutants: Brendan Murphy, Pádraig Murphy Benny Kavanagh, Paul McEilligot and Darragh Foley.
Wicklow welcome back Dara Ó hAnnaidh to full back after he missed the league campaign due to work commitments.
Meanwhile, the director general of the GAA Pádraic Duffy has written to each county board requesting the relaxing of the media bans imposed on players during the championship.
WEEKEND TEAMS
KERRY (SFC v Tipperary): B Kealy; M Ó Sé, T Griffin, T O’Sullivan; T Ó Sé, M McCarthy, K Young; S Scanlon, M Quirke; P Galvin, D O’Sullivan, D Walsh; C Cooper, K Donaghy, B Sheehan.
TIPPERARY (SFC v Kerry): P Fitzgerald; P Codd, N Curran, C McDonald; C Aylward, R Costigan, C McGrath; K Mulryan, G Hannigan; P Acheson, P Austin, H Coghlan; S Carey, B Grogan, B Mulvihill.
CARLOW (SF v Wicklow): J Clarke; P Murphy, L Murphy, B Kavanagh; A Curran, J Hayden, P McElligot; B Murphy, T Walsh; S Gannon, D Foley, M Carpenter; S Rea, J Murphy, J Kavanagh.
WICKLOW (SFC v Carlow): M Travers; S Kelly, D Ó hAnnaidh, A Byrne; P McWalter, B McGrath, D Hayden; J Stafford, JP Dalton; L Glynn, T Hannon, N Mernagh; D Odlum, S Furlong, P Earls.
ARMAGH (SFC v Derry): P Hearty; A Mallon, K Toner, B Donaghy; P Duffy, C McKeever, F Moriarty; C Vernon, J Lavery; M Macklin, A Kernan, G Swift; B Mallon, S McDonnell, R Henderson.
DERRY (SFC v Armagh): B Gillis; B Óg McAlary, K McGuckian, D McBride; F O’Kane, B McGuigan, M Bateson; F Doherty, Patsy Bradley; S McGoldrick, M Lynch, D Mullan; Paddy Bradley, E Bradley, R Wilkinson.
