McManus back in Offaly fold

Offaly make just one change in the team to face Kildare in Sunday's Leinster football semi-final replay at Croke Park. Ciaran McManus, who missed the drawn game on June 25th, returns from a two-month suspension and takes over from Cillian Farrell at left half forward.

Otherwise, manager Padraig Nolan keeps confidence with the team that produced a late, late rally against Kildare, thanks mainly to a goal from substitute Donie Ryan. There is a problem, however, over corner forward Vinnie Claffey and his place has been left vacant for the time being. Claffey has been suffering from a hamstring injury since the win over Meath last month and was forced to leave the action 10 minutes from time in the drawn match. He is hopeful of returning in time for Sunday's game, but Nolan is not about to take the risk for the time being and Claffey has been given more time to prove his fitness.

David Connolly replaced Claffey the last day and is the most likely candidate to step in should he lose his battle against the injury.

There were also a number of positional switches against Kildare in the drawn match, including the switching of corner backs Cathal Daly and James Brady, but they have been named in their original positions.

The fact that opponents Kildare have delayed naming their selection suggests that manager Mick O'Dwyer wants to give his son Karl every chance of recovering from the broken finger which kept him out of the drawn game. The younger O'Dwyer was clearly missed in the Kildare attack and although Dale Hynan, his replacement on the day, filled the role to reasonable effect, O'Dwyer's return would be a major boost.

Elsewhere, Maurice Fitzgerald is once again named among the Kerry substitutes for Sunday's Munster football final against Clare. Fitzgerald, out for a long spell with a broken leg, is still working towards achieving maximum fitness. He did, however, make an appearance late in the second half of the semi-final with Cork.

Manager Paidi O Se, however, has decided against making any changes from the team that eventually defeated Cork by five points, despite the somewhat nervy second half when their lead of 12 points was at one stage reduced to just two.

It means that Seamus Moynihan will again man the full-back position, leaving Eamonn Fitzmaurice at centre back. Wing backs Tomas O Se and Tom O'Sullivan switched positions early in the Cork match, but they have again been named in their original places on the right and left respectively.

Corner back Killian Burns had a hard time keeping tabs on Cork's Colin Corkery in the last outing, but O Se has decided to leave well enough alone. However, should Clare name their most dangerous forward Martin Daly in the corner, Burns may well switch with Moynihan in order to curb the threat.