Ó Sé named on Kerry bench for Mayo clash

DARRAGH Ó SÉ has been named among the Kerry substitutes for Sunday's National Football League Division One game against Mayo in Castlebar.

The five-time All-Ireland winner should make a first appearance of his 15th, and what is widely expected to be his last, season wearing the green and gold.

For now at least, Michael Quirke and Séamus Scanlon occupy the midfield stations in an understrength Kerry line-up as manager Pat O'Shea must plan without several players as a result of injuries, extended holidays and an under-21 championship fixture against Limerick in Tralee tomorrow.

This year's captain, Paul Galvin, Declan O'Sullivan and Seán O'Sullivan are injured. Colm Cooper is still in the United States and Killian Young, Mike Moloney, David Moran, Kieran O'Leary, Paul O'Connor, Tommy Walsh and Paddy Curran are playing for the under-21s.

Ó Sé's decision to play on contrasts with that of two Mayomen, Kevin O'Neill having followed David Brady into retirement this week.

The Mayo focus now switches to the other veterans on the panel, James Nallen already having played a challenge game, but there is no sign yet of Ciarán McDonald.

Cromane's Donncha Walsh and Duagh's Anthony Maher join Eoin Brosnan in a new half-forward line.

Meanwhile, a mounting fixture backlog is threatening the completion of the Sigerson Cup.

The remaining semi-final between GMIT and one from Carlow IT, Cork IT and Garda College as well as the final - and possibly a quarter-final - have still to be played. These games were due to be played last Saturday but postponed because of the ongoing appeals process from Carlow IT and Cork IT. Awaiting the winners are UUJ, who defeated DIT in the other semi-final.

Cork IT's objection to the eligibility of Garda College players Graham Dillon, Michael Cussen and Aidan O'Mahony is on hold while Carlow IT bring the Central Appeals Committee (CAC) decision to deem Dillon an eligible player to the Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA).

Should this prove successful a rescheduled quarter-final between Carlow and Cork will decide who progresses to face GMIT.

If they are unsuccessful Cork IT can appeal to the DRA on the eligibility of all three Garda players.

But if the DRA uphold the CAC decisions then Garda will progress to the semi-final, which could be played late next week.

"We hope to play either a quarter-final or semi-final within 48 hours of the DRA decision . . . if this takes place on Wednesday night we could play a game Friday," explained the Higher Education Council chairman, John Devaney.

Admitting the appeals process had "dragged on a little bit", Devaney confirmed contact had been made with all the relevant parties, including hosts Carlow IT, about a possible rescheduling.

"We had hoped to play the final on Easter Monday but that prospect is probably unlikely as we still don't know whether a new quarter-final will be required or a semi-final. If it is a quarter-final that's two games so you're talking 10 days from the DRA hearing before we could expect to host a final."

The DRA are yet to set a date for the Sigerson hearings as they are dealing with tonight's objection from the One Belief Group, who are opposing the distribution of grants to intercounty players.

The availability of intercounty players for the remaining fixtures may prove less straightforward.

For example, Cussen and O'Mahony have been included in the Cork and Kerry teams for this weekend's football league games.

The Tipperary team to play Clare in the National Hurling League on Sunday at Cusack Park, Ennis, shows five changes from the side that drew with Galway last Sunday.

There are four changes in the forward line as Pat Kerwick, Darragh Egan, Tommy Fitzgerald and Willie Ryan replace Ryan O'Dwyer, Séamus Butler, Pa Bourke and the injured Hugh Maloney. Eamonn Corcoran comes in at right wing back in place of Alan Byrne.

Meanwhile, Stephen Lavin has been named at centre back in the Limerick football side to play Wexford tomorrow but is also among the substitutes on the hurling team to face Offaly. His starting place in the hurling side goes to Niall Moran.

Wayne McNamara, of the county champions Adare, gets his chance as midfield partner to Donal O'Grady, with Donie Ryan preferred at left corner forward in place of Pat Tobin on the hurling team.

KERRY (SF v Mayo): D Murphy; M Ó Sé, T O'Sullivan, P Reidy; T Ó Sé; T Griffin, A O'Mahony; M Quirke, S Scanlon; D Walsh, E Brosnan, A Maher; Darren O'Sullivan, K Donaghy, B Sheehan. Subs: K Cremin, D Ó Sé, R Ó Flatharta, D Bohane, K Quirke, P Corridan, MF Russell.

OFFALY (SF v Wicklow): P Kelly; G Rafferty, S Brady, B Darby; P McConway, J Keane, N Grennan; A McNamee, C McManus; J Reynolds, N Coughlan, N Smith; T Deehan, P Kellaghan, N McNamee.

TIPPERARY (SH v Clare): B Cummins; E Buckley, P Curran, C O'Brien; E Corcoran, C O'Mahony, B Dunne; J Woodlock, S McGrath; P Kerwick, D Egan, J O'Brien; E Kelly, T Fitzgerald, W Ryan.

LIMERICK (SH v Offaly): B Murray; D Reale, S Lucey, S Hickey; M O'Riordan, P O'Dwyer, M Foley; D O'Grady, W McNamara; M Fitzgerald, O Moran, N Moran; A O'Shaughnessy, S O'Connor, D Ryan.