O’Sullivan returns to Kerry line-up

TOM O’SULLIVAN will make his first start for the Kerry senior footballers since last August’s All-Ireland quarter-final defeat against Down in Sunday’s Allianz Football League Division 1 tie against Armagh in the Athletic Grounds.

O’Sullivan was named at left corner-back in the Kerry starting XV by Jack O’Connor last night in two changes from the team that cruised to success over Galway last weekend.

O’Sullivan’s introduction sees Brian McGuire move to left half-back and Aidan O’Mahony drop to the bench. The other switch is at midfield, where Anthony Maher replaces David Moran. Declan O’Sullivan and Paul Galvin are named as substitutes.

Meanwhile, Conor Counihan has made one change to the Cork team that beat Down last weekend for this Sunday’s Division 1 round five clash with Galway in Pearse Stadium.

Ciaran Sheehan makes way for Donncha O’Connor due to his U21 commitments as Cork gear up for their Munster opener in that grade against Tipperary next Wednesday night.

It remains to be seen if Counihan restricts himself to the one switch after the team that lined out in Páirc Uí Rinn last Saturday showed a further three changes to the side that were marked to start the game.

Noel O’Leary, replacing Conor O’Driscoll, was one of those who came in at the last minute, returning from his four-week suspension, and he is set to line out again on Sunday.

Tyrone boss Mickey Harte has made two changes for their Division 2 trip to face Laois in Portlaoise tomorrow night. Harte’s rotating goalkeeper policy continues with Pascal McConnell replacing Jonathan Curran in goal, while Cathal McCarron comes in at right corner-back for PJ Quinn. The McMahon brothers, Joe and Justin, both made their first appearances of the season as substitutes in last week’s win over Antrim, but both are held in reserve here.

Wexford manager Jason Ryan has made three switches for their Division 3 tie with Cavan on Sunday from the team which defeated Westmeath last weekend.

Niall Murphy comes in at right corner-back for Adrian Morrissey, Graeme Molloy replaces Conor Cooney at full-back and George Sunderland retains his place at left half-forward instead of Liam Óg McGovern, after being introduced as a substitute in last weekend’s clash.

Meanwhile, the Cork U21 football squad have been dealt a blow ahead of next Wednesday’s Munster semi-final against Tipperary with defender Rory O’Sullivan ruled out of the game with suspected cruciate ligament damage.

O’Sullivan, who was corner-back for the U21s last year, suffered the injury in training on Tuesday night and is set to undergo a scan tomorrow to assess the extent of the damage. But O’Sullivan will definitely be sidelined for next Wednesday’s tie regardless of the results of that scan.

Galway have named three senior panellists in their team for tomorrow’s Connacht U21FC semi-final against Sligo in Markievicz Park. Colin Forde starts at full-back, Tomas Fahy plays at left half-back while Danny Cummins plays at right corner-forward.

KERRY (SF v Armagh): T Mac an tSaoir; S Enright, K Young, T O’Sullivan; T Ó’Sé, E Brosnan, B McGuire; S Scanlon, A Maher; Darran O’Sullivan, B Sheehan, D Walsh; C Cooper, K Donaghy, K O’Leary. Subs: B Kealy, D Moran, A O’Mahony, P Reidy, D Geaney, G O’Driscoll, D Bohane, A O’Connell, Declan O’Sullivan, P Galvin.

TYRONE (SF v Laois): P McConnell; C McCarron, D McCaul, D Carlin; D Harte, C Gormley, R McMenamin; K Hughes, A Cassidy; C Cavanagh, B McGuigan, S Cavanagh; M Penrose, S O’Neill, O Mulligan. Subs: J Curran, M Donnelly, A McCrory, Joe McMahon, Justin McMahon, S O’Neill, P J Quinn, M Swift.

CORK (SF v Galway): K O’Halloran; R Carey, E Cadogan, M Shields; N O’Leary, P Kissane, D O’Sullivan; A O’Connor, N Murphy; F Goold, P Kelly, P O’Neill; D Goulding, C O’Neill, D O’Connor.

WEXFORD: (SF v Cavan): A Masterson; N Murphy, G Molloy; J Wadding, B Malone, D Murphy, A Doyle; R Quinlivan, D Waters; S O’Neill, R Barry, G Sunderland; C Lyng, P Byrne, B Brosnan.

GALWAY (U21F v Sligo): M Breathnach; G Sweeney, C Forde, A Tierney; J Moore, J Duane, T Fahy; T Flynn, F Ó’Curraoin; C Doherty, M Hehir, M Boyle; D Cummins, P Sweeney, E Monaghan.