O’Connor names strong U-21 team to face Clare

Crokes stars only major absentees

KERRY Under-21 team boss Jack O’Connor has been able to name a strong side for tonight’s [Wednesday] Munster U-21 FC quarter-final with Clare in Austin Stack Park (throw-in 7.30pm).

This despite the fact Dromid Pearses club man’s hands have been tied to a certain extent by the unavailability of three Dr Crokes players – Michael Burns, Jordan Kiely and Gavin White. The trio, who would have been expected to start, are, obviously enough, busy with their club’s preparations for next week’s All Ireland senior club final with Derry outfit Slaughtneil in Croke Park.

O’Connor was still able to name a side with as many as fourteen All Ireland minor medal holders in the starting fifteen – St Mi- chaels / Foilmore’s Matthew O’Sullivan, a veteran of last year’s Under 21 campaign, is the only player in the starting fifteen who doesn’t have a celtic cross from the minor grade.

The side features a number of players who have featured with the Kerry senior side in this year’s National League – Dingle’s Tom O’Sullivan, Conor Geaney and Barry O’Sullivan, and Jason Foley of Ballydonoghue. Brian Ó Beaghlaoich of An Ghaeltacht is another senior who would have been expected to feature, but he is currently on the injury list.

Kerry face a Clare side coming to Tralee on the back of a famous success for their senior side over Cork in the National Legaue. The challenge Clare pose this week is one that the Kerry boss is keenly aware of.

“Clare won the pre season McNulty Tournament and we played Limerick in a challenge game around Christmas and they beat Limerick and we thought Limerick were going well. We can’t worry too much about Clare we just have to get our preparation as good as we can.” KERRY v Clare: Shane Ryan (Rathmore), Tom (Leo) O’Sullivan (Dingle), Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue), Tom O’Sullivan (Dingle), Brian Sugrue (Renard), Andrew Barry (Na Gaeil), Daniel O’Brien (Glenflesk), Barry O’Sullivan (Dingle), Brian Ó Seanacháin (Ballydonoghue), Brandon Barrett (Ardfert), Sean O’Shea (Kenmare), Matthew Flaherty (Dingle), Conor Geaney (Dingle), Matthew O’Sullivan (St Michaels-Foilmore), Cathal Bambury (Dingle) Subs: Eoghan O’Brien (Churchill), Killian Spillane (Templenoe), Cormac Coffey (Kerins O’Rahillys), Ivan Parker (Churchill), Jack Morgan (Austin Stacks), Roibeard Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht), Lee O’Donoghue (Glenflesk), John Mark Foley (Kilgarvan), Graham O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses)

Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin Football for all kids who escorts for the Killarney Celtic team who played a friendly against Cork City at Celtic Park on Monday.