Kerry play a strong hand

News round-upFor years it was something of a tradition that the All-Ireland champions send out their winning team for the first round of the National league, and Kerry have effectively revived that for tomorrow's opening Division One game against league champions Donegal in Ballybofey.

Manager Pat O'Shea would have started with the entire 15 players, but with three of those ruled out for various reasons there will at least be 12 of his victorious side of last September.

The three players absent are Darragh Ó Sé, his brother Tomás, and Colm Cooper.

Earlier this week Darragh Ó Sé confirmed he would be continuing for another season, although he has yet to return to training and may miss most of Kerry's league campaign.

Tomás Ó Sé was recently married and has also to return to full training, while Cooper earlier this week departed for his planned break in the US, and is expected to be away until at least the end of March.

The three players to come in are Tommy Griffin, who replaces Tomás Ó Sé at right-wing back, while Michael Quirke replaces Darragh Ó Sé at midfield. Seán O'Sullivan takes over the left-corner forward berth from Cooper. All three replacements are vastly experienced and are All-Ireland medallists.

O'Shea has welcomed Darragh's Ó Sé's decision to commit for at least another year. "He took some time to mull over it after we got back from the team holiday but everyone is delighted he has decided to commit for another year. As a panel, we are thrilled he has come to this decision because we feel he still has so much to offer," said O'Shea.

New Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney has announced his first league team for tomorrow's Division One meeting with Tyrone in Omagh, and straight away he has made a telling impact. Thomas Corley takes over as first-choice goalkeeper from Enda Murphy, while among the debutants are Morgan O'Flaherty at corner back and Gary White at wing back.

Padraig Mullarkey partners Killian Brennan in midfield, with Dermot Earley named at full forward. Regular full back Kevin O'Neill lines out at centre back while Anthony Rainbow begins his 18th competitive campaign in his customary slot at wing back, having made his debut against the same opposition towards the end of 1990. John Doyle returns from illness to make his first start of the season.

There are doubts, however, over the fitness of Andriú Mac Lochlainn, who has been named at full back despite tweaking a hamstring in training on Monday.

Goalkeeper Brendan Murphy will captain the Meath senior football team for the coming year, succeeding Anthony Moyles.

KERRY (SF v Donegal); D Murphy; M Ó Sé, T O'Sullivan, P Reidy; T Griffin, A O'Mahony, K Young; S Scanlon, M Quirke; E Brosnan, D O'Sullivan, P Galvin; B Sheehan, K Donaghy, S O'Sullivan.

KILDARE (SF v Tyrone): T Corley; E Bolton, A Mac Lochlainn, M O'Flaherty; A Rainbow, K O'Neill, G White; P Mullarkey, K Brennan; J Doyle, M Conway, J Kavanagh; R Sweeney, D Earley, K Donnelly.

MAYO (SF v Derry): D Clarke; C Moran, BJ Padden, L O'Malley; C Barrett, T Howley, K Higgins; S O'Shea, P Gardiner; J Gill, A Dillon, M Mullins; C Mortimer, A O'Malley, A Moran.

MONAGHAN (SF v Roscommon): P McBennett; D Mone, JP Mone, C Flanagan; D McArdle, G McQuaid, P McGuigan; D Clerkin, P Finlay; C McManus, R Woods, R Ronaghan; C Hanratty, V Corey, T Freeman.

SLIGO (SF v Down): P Greene; C Harrison, N McGuire, R Donovan; J Davey, N McNamara, P McGovern; K Byrne, C Quinn; M Breheny, E O'Hara, B Curran; E Cawley, K Sweeney, D Kelly.