McInerney named despite big fitness doubts
GALWAY’S All-Star centre-back Gearóid McInerney is named in the team to face Clare for tomorrow’s AllIreland hurling semifinal replay at Semple Stadium — despite major doubts all week about his fitness. The defender had to leave the field in the drawn game with a calf injury and it remains to be seen if he will take his place as listed. There was also a concern in Galway about Joe Canning’s fitness after he also had to leave the field last Saturday night after jarring his knee, but the current Hurler of the Year is also named in his customary No11 shirt. It all means Galway are unchanged while Clare have opted to wait until before throw-in to announce their selection. Killian Burns returns from suspension to make the Kerry starting 15 as manager Éamonn Fitzmaurice rejigs his team for tonight’s third and final round in the All-Ireland quarterfinal series against Kildare at Killarney. David Clifford’s last-gasp goal salvaged a draw against Monaghan last time out, but Kerry’s fate in the Super 8s still rests in other hands with Galway and Monaghan also meeting at 6pm this evening at Pearse Stadium. Young takes up the centre-back role with Peter Crowley moving back to replace Mark Griffin in the number three jersey. Jason Foley comes in at right
corner-back for Ronan Shanahan and the third change is up front where Micheál Burns replaces Kevin McCarthy at wingforward. Kildare have to make do without the suspended Daniel Flynn and Niall Flynn comes into the team and is named at full-forward. It will be interesting to see what plan Connacht champions Galway have for Conor McManus who took Kerry apart in the last round and is named at top of the left. Sligo are on the hunt for a new senior football manager after Tyrone native Cathal Corey stood down. He only lasted a single season after taking over from Niall Carew last October. The year was a mixed bag with Sligo retaining their Division Three status in the Allianz Football League and beat London convincingly in the Connacht Championship. But a 21point
Connacht semifinal hammering from Galway was followed by a 1-19 to 1-13 qualifier defeat by Armagh.
GALWAY (SHC v Clare): J Skehill; A Tuohy, Daithí Burke; J Hanbury, P Mannion, G McInerney, A Harte; J Coen, D Burke; J Cooney, J Canning, J glynn; C Whelan, C Cooney, C Mannion.
KERRY (SFC v Kildare): B Kelly; J Foley, P Crowley, T O’Sullivan; P Murphy, K Young, G White; D Moran, J Barry; M Burns, S O’Shea, S O’Brien; D Clifford, K Donaghy, P Geaney.
KILDARE (SFC v Kerry): M Donnellan; P Kelly, D Hyland, M O’Grady; J Byrne, E Doyle, K Flynn; K Feely, T Moolick; F Conway, P Cribbin, K Cribbin; N Flynn, N Kelly, P Brophy.
MONAGHAN (SFC v Galway): R Beggan; K Duffy, D Wylie, R Wylie; D Mone, V Corey, K O’Connell; N Kearns, D Hughes; R McAnespie, S Carey, O Duffy; C McCarthy, F Kelly, C McManus.