Cooper fit as Kerry bid to hit back
Cooper caused Kerry a major scare when he was stretchered off during last weekend’s defeat by Cork at Pairc Ui Rinn.
However, a scan revealed that no major damage was done to his hip or leg after his heavy collision with a Cork player.
As a consequence Cooper will line out at left corner forward in a side that shows two changes from the one which bit the dust first time out. William Kirby teams up with Dara O’Se at midfield to the exclusion of Micheal Quirke, while Paul Galvin takes over the right-half forward position from Noel Kennelly.
The only positional change sees Paul Kelly and Eoin Brosnan swap places in the half forward line, with Brosnan now on the forty.
With Ronan Slattery and Donal O’Sullivan still on the injured list, Clare have stuck with the same fifteen that started last weekend’s drawn game with Roscommon for their second round tie with Monaghan at Cusack Park on Sunday.
Conor Whelan, who was introduced as a sub during the Roscommon game but was subsequently yellow carded, will start again on the bench.
Although Alan Clohessy is named at right corner forward it is expected that he will fill the right half back position with Darragh Blake being given a roving commission in defence.
Wexford, who got their campaign underway with a smashing victory over Armagh have a big doubt about the availability of their midfield player James D’Arcy for next Sunday’s clash with Kildare at Newbridge.
D’Arcy went off at half time with a hamstring injury and was due to have a fitness test last night before the Wexford team was finalised.
Cavan have left a vacancy at left corner back on their side to meet Wicklow at Breffni Park on Sunday. Regular holder of the position Kevin Fannin received a knock during the course of last weekend’s emphatic victory over Tipperary.
Laois, more than a trifle lucky to narrowly get over Limerick first time out, will still be without the injured trio of Tom Kelly, Brian ‘Beano’ McDonnell and Joe Higgins for their visit to Sligo this weekend. The Laois team will be announced tonight.
KERRY (SF v Offaly): D. Murphy; M. O’Se, A. O’Mahony, M. Lyons; T. O’Se, E. Fitzmaurice, S. Moynihan; D. O’Se, W. Kirby; P. Galvin, E. Brosnan, P. Kelly; D. Quill, R. O’Connor, C. Cooper.
OFFALY (SF v Kerry); C. McNamara; N Grennan, C. Evans, S. Brady; B. Mooney, J. Keane, K. Slattery; C. McManus, A. McNamee; N. Coughlan, J. Kenny, J. Reynolds; C. Quinn, N. McNamee, J. Coughlan.
CLARE (SF v Monaghan): D. McInerney; P. Gallagher, D. Kelly, K. Dilleen; D. Blake, B. Considine, M. O’Connell; David Russell, G. Quinlan; Denis Russell, S. Danials, M. O’Shea; A. Clohessy, S. Hickey, R. Donnolly.
CAVAN (SF v Wicklow): J. Reilly; M. Hannon, C. Hannon, A. N. Other; P. Bradley, P. Reilly, A. Gaynor; P. Brady, P. McKenna; M. McKeever, M. Lyng, S. Brady; S. Johnston, J. Reilly, A. Forde.
