Kildare make two changes

There are two changes on the Kildare team for Sunday's All-Ireland football semi-final at Croke Park. Both Karl O'Dwyer and Brian Murphy have been named at centre forward and full forward respectively and as a result, the selection is the same as started the second-half of the Leinster final replay against Dublin.

Dropping down to the bench will be Eddie McCormack - who has been suffering from a groin injury - and Ronan Sweeney. There are also a number of positional switches from that which started against Dublin, with Dermot Earley now named at midfield - where he ended up against Dublin - with John Doyle moving to the wing to make way for O'Dwyer.

O'Dwyer's recall is the least surprising. He replaced McCormack after just 28 minutes of the Leinster final victory and though he was held scoreless, he did bring some much-needed weight to the forwards. Previously, O'Dwyer had restricted access to this season's championship after suffering a broken finger early in the summer.

The appearance of Murphy, however, is likely to be the greater talking point. He was a dual Cork minor some 15-years-ago and his brief experience with his adopted county seemed to have run its course over the last 12 months. After coming on as substitute in the drawn match, his effect was limited but there was no disputing his pivotal role in helping to turn the game the second time out - just moments after starting the second half in place of Sweeney.

Murphy played a part in the build-up of both Kildare's goals that in the space of a minute managed to sink Dublin. It was Murphy who won the scramble for possession for the second goal and after brushing off the defensive challenges, laid on the ball for Tadgh Fennin to finish to the net. Murphy also kicked a point.

It means that the entire half forward line which began against Dublin has been altered. Martin Lynch now starts on the right wing rather than midfield and with Early dropping back, Doyle flanks O'Dwyer on the left side. Padraig Brennan - top scorer the last day with 0-5 - will again roam in his familiar right corner as does Fennin on the left.

Opponent's Galway will announce their team tonight and it now appears increasingly likely that defender John Divilly and midfielder Kevin Walsh - who both missed the Connacht final through injury - will play some role.

O'Mahony will also be watching carefully how dual player David Tierney comes through tomorrow evening's All-Ireland under-21 hurling semi-final. That game was brought forward from Saturday because of Tierney's involvement with the footballers but it also remains to be seen if he will be named in the Galway line-up.