Dublin four to make starting debuts in Kerry clash

Costello, Lowndes, George and Carthy will all line out from start at Croke Park

All-Ireland champions Dublin have handed starting debuts to four players for tomorrow's opening Allianz Football League Division One fixture against Kerry at Croke Park (7.0pm).

Cormac Costello, the highly regarded corner forward whose season last year was disrupted by injury, his fellow dual under-age star, Eric Lowndes, Ballymun full back Seán George and Naomh Mearnóg's Shane Carthy are named in the team announced last night by Jim Gavin.

Only one of last September's starting forward line-up against Mayo is in the 15. Ciarán Kilkenny is at right wing forward but Bernard Brogan and Paddy Andrews are injured, Paul Flynn suspended, Diarmuid Connolly preparing for St Vincent's All-Ireland semi-final and Paul Mannion, like last year's Young Footballer of the Year Jack McCaffrey not chosen to start.

There are rumours that Alan Brogan, Footballer of the Year in 2011 but who has missed most of the past two years with in jury, may also play a role.

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The match revisits the best match of the 2013 championship, the All-Ireland semi-final, and a crowd of around 25,000 is expected at Croke Park where the curtain raiser will be the Walsh Cup final between the Dublin hurlers and Kilkenny.

DUBLIN (v Kerry, Croke Park, Saturday, 7.0): Stephen Cluxton; Jonny Cooper, Seán George, Michael Fitzsimons; Eric Lowndes, Cian O'Sullivan, Philly McMahon; Declan O'Mahony, Shane Carthy; Ciarán Kilkenny, Bryan Cullen, Ciaran Reddin; Kevin McManamon, Eoghan O'Gara, Cormac Costello.

Seán Moran

Seán Moran

Seán Moran is GAA Correspondent of The Irish Times