Hughes returns as Monaghan shuffle pack for Kerry clash

MONAGHAN have made one change in personnel and a couple of positional switches from the team that started against Donegal for tomorrow’s All-Ireland qualifier against All Ireland champions, Kerry.

Darren Hughes is named at centre back in place of Gary McQuaid. Hughes was named at centre back for last Saturday’s win over Donegal, but McQuaid replaced him just before the throw-in although he came in later on when McQuaid had to retire with an injury.

In the positional switches, Conor McManus moves from wing half-forward to wing back, and Vincent Corey moves to a wing half-forward role.

Monaghan are still looking for a first victory over Kerry in senior championship football. They were defeated by a point in last year’s quarter-final, having led all the way.

Meanwhile, Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney has delayed naming his team for tomorrow’s third round qualifier with

Fermanagh as he bids to give full-forward Ken Donnelly as much time as possible to recover from the hamstring strain suffered towards the end of last week’s victory over Limerick.

The Ellistown attacker has been a very influential figure since being handed the No. 14 jersey for the opening round success over Cavan, but is considered a very doubtful starter.

U21 captain Gary White will be the favourite to replace Donnelly if he is ruled out, with the likelihood being that the versatile Sarsfields youngster will line out at centre-forward, and Pádraig O’Neill moving to full-forward.

Goalkeeper Tom Corley returned to training during the week after a quad muscle problem had kept him out since the

Leinster championship loss to Wicklow and will come back into the panel in place of Shane Farrell, who dislocated his shoulder.

Monaghan v Kerry SFC Qualifier: P McBennett; D Mone, JP Mone, D McArdle; D Freeman, D Hughes, C McManus; E Lennon, D Clerkin; S Gollogly, P Finlay, V Corey; C Hanratty, R Woods, T Freeman.