Quill likely to take over captaincy from injured O’Shea
Both O’Shea and Daly have been ruled out because of injury problems, while Ó Sé is suffering from glandular fever.
It is particularly hard luck on full back O’Shea who missed out on a second All-Ireland medal in 2000 after undergoing surgery on a damaged cruciate ligament. After playing a key role in Kerins O’Rahilly’s county championship success last season the Tralee defender was restored to the Kerry team as captain.
That honour is now likely to be conferred on his Strand Road team mate Declan Quill, who skippered the side which lost to Dublin in a challenge game last weekend.
Both Colm Cooper and Aodán MacGearailt, who missed that game because of injury are in no danger, according to manager Páidí Ó Sé, of missing the provincial semi-final.
It’s heartbreak also for Laois star David Cuddy who must sit out his county’s opening Leinster SHC clash.
Cuddy, who received two broken fingers in a recent league outing against Dublin, will miss out on the Bank Holiday Monday showdown with Wicklow in Portlaoise.
Laois’ master attacker is now just hoping that there will not be a repeat of last year’s shock result when his side sensationally lost out to Meath in their first round clash after the concession of a stunning goal in injury time.
As Cuddy contemplates a further operation on his injured fingers next Thursday he was quick to play down talk that Laois should have little difficulty in disposing of the Garden County side, who avoided relegation from Division 2 and who won the Kehoe Cup for a third successive year.
“I believe we have a lot of hurling to do to advance past Wicklow. Last year’s defeat to Meath was a bit of an eye-opener. Personally things could have gone better but the defeat set hurling back a lot in the county.
“Now we have managed to pick up the game again with new Manager Páidí Butler having put in tremendous work. It’s up to us to learn from last year’s mistakes. The fact that we retained our Division 1 status is a real boost. As a team we have continued to improve and played some quality hurling against the top teams. That’s a real boost in itself. “It’s frustrating to have to sit out the game but when you win it’s never about one person, the same when we lose. As a team we have put last year’s Meath game behind us and moved on.”
Cuddy delivers his words with an air of authority. He’s the county’s top forward over the past ten seasons but right now he’s hoping his colleagues can deliver a victory and he’ll be available for the next round clash against Dublin
KERRY PANEL: E. Brosnan, J. Cahalane, C. Cooper, J. Crowley, E. Fitzmaurice, P. Galvin, L. Hassett, P. Kennedy, M. Lyons, A. MacGearailt, M. McCarthy, S. Moynihan, D. Murphy, D. Ó Cinnéide, D. O’Keeffe, A. O’Mahony, T. Ó Sé, D. Ó Sé, T. O’Sullivan, S. O’Sullivan, D. O’Sullivan, D. Quill, M. Quirke, M. F. Russell, S. Scanlon, J. Sheehan.
