All change with Kerry
New faces to be part of Kerry football panel
THE new Kerry senior football team management has started to formulate a player panel ahead of the 2019 season and The Kerryman has learned that a number of this year’s squad have not been contacted so far in relation to initial team planning meetings.
It’s also understood that a number of new players – and some old names – have been contacted about joining the panel when collective training resumes next month.
Although the Kerry footballers cannot, by rule, begin collective squad training until December 1 The Kerryman understands that a number of players involved in 2018 are not, it would seem, part of the new management’s plans for 2019, for the moment at least.
It would appear that Fionn Fitzgerald, Barry John Keane, Ronan Shanahan, Dáithí Casey and Mark Griffin are not in management’s plans for winter training, while some other panellists from the 2018 set-up are also thought to be left out, although other names mentioned are unconfirmed.
This comes on the back of the retirements of Kieran Donaghy, Donnchadh Walsh, Anthony Maher and Darran O’Sullivan in recent weeks, which means the Kerry supporters are likely to see quite a different looking squad for the early rounds of the National League at least.
It’s also known that a number of new players have been contacted about joining the panel next month, or in the case of three players, re-joining the panel.
Jonathan Lyne, Jack Sherwood and Shane Ryan have been recalled to the panel on the strength of their performances with their clubs and districts in the recent county championship.
Lyne was involved with the senior team from 2011 until he was left out of the squad for 2018, but the Legion club man has been recalled by Peter Keane, who would have worked with Lyne when Keane managed the Legion team a few years ago.
Sherwood was involved with the Kerry seniors from 2013 to 2015 but hasn’t featured on a Kerry team since coming on as a substitute in the drawn 2015 Munster Final with Cork in 2015.
Shane Ryan has also been recalled to the panel. The Rathmore man had joined the senior squad midway through 2017 in a goalkeeping role after Brendan Kealy left the panel, but Ryan didn’t return in 2018 and has since focussed on playing in the full forward line for his club.
Ryan’s brother, Mark, has also been called up to the squad, as has Dara Moynihan from Spa.
The Kerryman understands that contact has been made with Dr Crokes’ trio Michael Potts, Tony Brosnan and David Shaw, although they are currently preparing for Sunday’s Munster Club Final.
The Kerryman also understands that the initial panel is open-ended and that no player involved last season has been definitively let go.
Kerry start the 2019 National League with the visit of Tyrone on Sunday, January 27 followed by a trip to Cavan the following Sunday, February 3.