THE Clare footballers have named an unchanged team for Sunday’s Munster semi-final meeting with Kerry in Killarney. Despite speculation that Podge Collins and Shane McGrath might have played their way into the starting 15, both have been named on the bench.
The Clare and Kerry teams were named a short time ago with the Kingdom giving championship debuts to two players in this weekends provincial semi-final.
The Clare team is as follows: Joe Hayes (Lissycasey); Dean Ryan (Éire Óg), Kevin Harnett (Meelick), Martin McMahon (Kilmurry Ibrickane); Seán Collins (Cratloe), Gordon Kelly (St Joseph’s, Miltown), Cian O’Dea (Kilfenora); Gary Brennan (Clondegad-captain), Cathal O’Connor (Coolmeen); Eoin Cleary ((Miltown), Jamie Malone (Corofin), Pearse Lillis (Cooraclare); Keelan Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane), David Tubridy (Doonbeg), Pat Burke (Kilmacud Crokes).
Two players will make their débuts for Kerry against Clare on Sunday. Wing backs Brian O’Beaglaoich and Tadhg Morley will play their first championship game for their county. Kerry manager Eamon Fitzmaurice has made five changes to the team that lost this years NFL final to Dublin while just seven of last years All-Ireland final starting 15 line out.
KERRY: Brian Kelly; Shane Enright, Mark Griffin, Killian Young; Brian O’Beaglaoich, Peter Crowley, Tadhg Morley; Kieran Donaghy, Bryan Sheehan (captain); Paul Murphy, Colm Cooper, Donnachadh Walsh; Darren O’Sullivan, Paul Geaney, Stephen O’Brien.
Subs: Brendan Kealy; David Moran, Marc O’Shea, Fionn Fitzgerald, Barry John Keane, Michael Geaney, Jonathan Lyne, Anthony Maher, Padraig O’Connor, Alan Fitzgerald, Mark O’Connor.
The game will throw in at 3.30pm on Sunday in Fitzgerald Stadium.
Peter O’Connell
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.