O’Sullivan fit as Kerry experiment

NO place for Tadhg Kennelly, and a experimental midfield partnership of Anthony Maher and Mike Quirke, might suggest Kerry are half-hearted about tomorrow’s Allianz Football League final.

However, the remainder of Jack O’Connor’s selection indicates otherwise, with 11 of last September’s All-Ireland final 15 chosen to face Damien Cassidy’s Derry in tomorrow’s Division 1 decider at Croke Park (4pm). Paul Galvin is also selected to start, while Marc Ó Sé is still recovering from a knee injury.

Declan O’Sullivan makes a surprise return to the half-forward line, recovering quicker than expected from a hamstring strain, and his namesake, Darran, will captain the side from left half forward.

The chosen 15 isn’t guaranteed to start, however. Paul Galvin and Colm Cooper both missed training Thursday night and will be assessed when the squad arrives in Dublin this evening.

Derry will have their established midfield pairing of Fergal Doherty and Joe Diver in action, while top forward Paddy Bradley also comes back into the team after having been rested for the last round against Donegal. Altogether, the starting 15 shows seven changes in personnel from that game, with Patsy Bradley and Enda Muldoon - who were paired at midfield - both missing through injury, along with Barry McGoldrick, who has been a success at centre-back since being switched from the attack.

Also unavailable are the team’s most experienced defender, Sean Marty Lockhart and vice-captain Niall McCusker, whose brother died in tragic circumstances last weekend.

Former Allstar Kevin McCloy is chosen at full-back, with Kevin McGuckin reverting to the right corner. Chrissy McKaigue is named at right half-back, Barry McGuigan takes over the number six jersey and, with Doherty and Diver teaming up at midfield once more, Paul Murphy comes into the half-forward line in place of ex-minor James Kielt.

Up front, Paddy Bradley is named at full-forward with younger brother Eoin switching to the right corner.

Meanwhile, Monaghan have made just one change from the team that started against Laois for tomorrow’s Division 2 final against Cork in Croke Park. Rory Woods was named to start in the Laois game at full-forward but was ruled out just before the start. However he was later introduced as a substitute in place of Raymond Ronaghan and he gets the nod at full-forward.

KERRY (NFL subs v Derry): G Reidy, D Walsh, D Bohane, D Moran, D Ó Sé, T Kennelly, S O’Sullivan, K Quirke, A O’Shea, B Sheehan, P O’Connor.

MONAGHAN (NFL subs v Cork): P McBennett, G McEnaney, S McAleer, B McKenna, K Hughes, JP Mone, R Ronaghan, D Morgan, C Hanratty.