O'Shea puts stamp on champions

Pat O'Shea has named a Kerry team that will be associated with his new tenure as manager of the All-Ireland champions ahead of Sunday's Munster football final against Cork in Killarney.

It is the same side that O'Shea fielded in Dungarvan on June 3rd, when Kerry easily accounted for Waterford, 2-15 to 0-4.

Corner back Pádraig Reidy and wing back Killian Young, who made their debuts the last day, are retained in a new-look defence.

With Séamus Moynihan and Mike McCarthy now retired, Tom O'Sullivan and Aidan O'Mahony take positions in the half-back line.

These are just two of six positional changes from the side that lost the provincial final replay to Cork last year.

Kieran Donaghy is another notable inclusion - he was suspended - as is Mike Frank Russell, who was out of favour.

Forwards of the quality of Seán O'Sullivan, Darren O'Sullivan, Barry Sheehan and Declan Quill must be content with places on the bench.

Micheál Quirke retains his midfield role alongside Darragh Ó Sé with Tommy Griffin missing out.

Wexford football manager Paul Bealin has selected the same team that accounted for Louth on June 17th for their Leinster semi-final against Laois after defenders Paddy Wallace and Adrian Morrissey recovered from injuries.

Laois are not so fortunate, a raft of injuries delaying Liam Kearns's final selection.

Billy Sheehan is expected to feature, but regulars Darren Rooney, Brian McDonald, Noel Garvan, Gary Kavanagh and Tom Kelly are all expected to miss out.

"Noel did his ankle ligaments and tendon," explained Kearns. "He fell awkwardly in training over a week ago. He's off the crutches but he certainly won't play in the game on Sunday.

"Gary Kavanagh has only recovered from an operation on his knee. He certainly won't be involved. Barry Brennan twisted his ankle in a challenge game and hasn't done anything this week.

"Aidan Fennelly injured himself against Longford. He came back but had a recurrence of the problem over the weekend so again we are going to have to look at him. Beano McDonald has a back problem.

"Tom Kelly has been out with groin problems for the last five weeks and has done nothing. The next few days will tell us if there is any hope for him."

In hurling, Wexford have made one change from the team that beat Dublin on June 9th for Sunday's Leinster final against Kilkenny at Croke Park, as Stephen Nolan comes in for Paul Carley at wing forward.

Galway have delayed until tomorrow announcing a team to play Laois in the opening round of the qualifiers this Saturday as manager Ger Loughnane awaits injury updates on Fergal Moore, Ger Farragher (both hamstring), Mark Kerins (sick) and Fergal Healy (calf).

Dublin senior hurling manager Tommy Naughton has made one change in personnel and one positional switch to his starting 15 ahead of Saturday's qualifier against Cork at Parnell Park.

Derek O'Reilly has a hamstring injury and is replaced at wing back by Ger O'Meara, while in attack Liam Ryan moves to centre forward in a straight swap with Ross O'Carroll.

Meanwhile, a 10-part series chronicling the history of the GAA is to be shown on TG4.

The half-hour programmes, partially funded by the station and the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, are produced by the Waterford-based company Nemeton Television Productions.

"The Nemeton production will feature all the great names, dates, and events of the most dominant and enduring of organisations in Irish life," read a statement from the company.

"It will recall the early days, when the GAA was interwoven with the nationalist revival, with the struggle for Irish freedom and independence, the bitter early years of the new state, and right throughout the 20th century."