Moynihan to play no part in semi-final

Team newsSéamus Moynihan will play no part in Kerry's All-Ireland quarter-final at Croke Park this Saturday. The team's inspirational defender and former footballer of the year has still not recovered from the ankle injury he sustained in a club match six weeks ago.

The All-Ireland-winning captain in 2000 was unable to play in either of the Munster final matches against Limerick but for this weekend's game he hasn't even been named on the bench and there is long-term concern about his prospects of returning for the semi-final should Kerry defeat Dublin.

The other news from the team named by manager Jack O'Connor and his selectors is that under-21 player Paddy Kelly makes his debut at centrefield for the Munster champions in a move that sees Liam Hassett drop to the bench.

Kelly is a member of the county under-21s and played in last year's provincial final when Kerry were sensationally beaten by Waterford.

The Ballylongford club player makes his senior competitive debut as partner to Darragh Ó Sé. He would probably have made his debut during the league but missed most of the spring season with shin splints.

One other change is made to the team that won the replayed provincial final and, although expected, it will be well received in Kerry. It sees the return of Declan O'Sullivan after missing both the Limerick matches because of a broken collarbone. O'Sullivan comes in at centre forward in place of Johnny Crowley.

Positional changes to the line-up involve Eoin Brosnan switching out of centrefield to Hassett's place at wing forward and Dara Ó Cinnéide moving up to full forward in place of Crowley in order to accommodate O'Sullivan.

Centrefield has given the Kerry selectors a particular headache. Apart form the difficulty in finding a steady partner for Darragh Ó Sé, the team has been hit by a stream of injuries.

Donal Daly, Séamus Scanlon, both of whom have started championship matches, and Tommy Griffin, who played well after replacing William Kirby in the drawn Munster final, have all been ruled out with injuries.

It's three years since the counties met at this stage in a tie that went to a replay. Kerry show seven changes from that day in Thurles. Dublin will be in a position to pick no more than eight of the team who started then.

Derry have delayed naming a team for Saturday's other All-Ireland football quarter-final against Westmeath also at Croke Park. This is to give forward Paddy Bradley the chance to recover from an ankle injury.

"To say that Paddy would be a loss is an understatement," said county PRO Gerry Donnelly. "He has matured both as a forward and also as team captain in place of Seán Marty Lockhart while he's been injured."

Lockhart has recovered and made his comeback as a replacement in the last round against Limerick. He is expected to return to the defence as Gerard O'Kane is battling an ankle injury.

Manager Mickey Moran will name his side tonight.

KERRY (SF v Dublin): D Murphy; T O'Sullivan, M McCarthy, A O'Mahony; T Ó Sé, E Fitzmaurice, M Ó Se; D Ó Sé, P Kelly; P Galvin, D O'Sullivan, E Brosnan; C Cooper, D Ó Cinnéide, MF Russell.