Croke Park set for fireworks as Kerry clash with champs

Kerry changes expected with one or two surprises

THE Kerry football team management are expected to make changes to the team for Sunday’s crunch All-Ireland SFC semi-final against reigning champions Dublin, but it remains to be seen how radical the shake-up will be as Kerry aim to stop Dublin record a fourth successive Championship win over them.

Kerry have an almost fully fit squad to select from, and with Colm Cooper and Anthony Maher, in particular, looking to make the starting team it seems certain there will be at least one unforced change to the team that started against Clare in last month’s All-Ireland quarter-final.

Despite strong rumours that Bryan Sheehan had been played as a goalkeeper in recent training sessions the player himself stated categorically last week that he hasn’t played in goal at any training session this month.

Manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice and selector Diarmuid Murphy were more circumspect when asked directly if Sheehan - a former Kerry minor goalkeeper - was being considered as an alternative to Brian Kelly and Brendan Kealy.

“We’re trying a few things,” Fitzmaurice said when asked about the rumours of Sheehan being considered for goal. Asked directly if Sheehan has he played in goal at Kerry training the manager replied “No”.

Former Kerry goalkeeper and current selector Diarmuid Murphy said: “It would be a move out of left-field most certainly but we’ve nothing set in stone yet. Not just with the goalies but all over the field we’ve nothing set in stone as regards finalising teams or panels for the game. We’ve a strong squad so we’ll be going on form over the next couple of training sessions.

“To be honest, you’d look at goalkeeping now and the role has changed a lot definitely, even since I was playing. Distribution is more important than when I finished up playing, so it’s a slightly different game. It’s not even called a kickout anymore, it’s a re-start, so there is more emphasis on kicking from the goalkeeper than there used to be.

“The role has changed somewhat alright so personnel can change then accordingly. We’ve a lot of options open to us all over the pitch, so I wouldn’t be ruling anything in or out yet anyway.”

Away from the issue of if and where Sheehan might start, the key decisions for the management is whether or not to reinstate Colm Cooper after he missed out the quarter-final win over Clare, and whether to play Kieran Donaghy at midfield, at full forward or keep him in reserve for a second half assault on a Dublin full back line that many see as Dublin’s most vulnerable area.

There is some suggestion that Briain Ó Beaglaoich’s place in the half back line could be under threat, with Aidan O’Mahony, Paul Murphy or Jonathan Lyne being ear-marked to start alongside Tadhg Morley and Peter Crowley.

There is also some suggestion that the management have looked at the possibility of playing Mark Griffin further up the field, at centre-back or even at midfield with a view to adding more pace and punch to a midfield that is seen to be lacking in those qualities.

Both Kerry and Dublin have no new injury concerns. Brendan O;Sullivan is available to Kerry having recovered from an injury that had him sidelined since just after the League Final in April, and Dublin are expected to recall James McCarthy to the half back line .

Meanwhile, the Kerry minors face Kildare in the All-Ireland semi-final on Sunday (1.30 throw-in) looking to reach a third consecutive All-Ireland Final and keep the dream alive of winning the Tommy Markham Cup for the third year running.

Both Kerry teams are expected to be announced on Friday evening on the Kerry GAA website.