Harte rings changes for Kingdom clash

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte has rung wholesale changes for Sunday’s trip to Killarney to face Kerry.

In attempting to address the defensive problems that saw 1-21 leaked in last weekend’s clash against Kildare, Harte has made five changes for the Kerry fixture.

PJ Quinn, Danny McBride and Ronan McNabb have been drafted into the Tyrone rearguard at the expense of Aidan McCrory, Ryan McKenna and Ciaran McGinley. Sean Cavanagh, left half-forward last time out at Newbridge, reverts to his favoured midfield role with Conan Grugan dropping to the bench, while Shay McGuigan and Paddy McNeice come into the attack.

Patsy Bradley replaces Benny Heron at midfield in the only change to the Derry team for their trip to Cork.

Meanwhile, Cork footballer manager Brian Cuthbert is awaiting the results of a scan to determine the severity of a leg injury to Ruairí Deane.

The midfielder, who has featured in league wins over Westmeath, Kildare and Dublin, sustained the blow in training on Wednesday night. Deane, named as a sub for Sunday’s game against Derry, is likely to be absent this weekend, but the management are optimistic fears of a cruciate ligament injury are unfounded.

Elsewhere, Kerry boss Eamonn Fitzmaurice has backed Jim Gavin’s call to condense the inter-county season.

Fitzmaurice said with so many competitions taking place throughout January and February, an April start to the Allianz NFL must be considered.

“I believe that the season is too long. If you count up the number of matches that are played in January and February, and then throw March into the mix, a large percentage of your games are played. You will have three or four games played in the pre-season tournaments, and by the end of March, we will have six league games played,” he noted.

“I would definitely be in favour of condensing the season. I do believe that an April league start would be ideal. There is such a crossover of players, say in January the college players play the pre-season competitions with the colleges, then you have fellas away with the U21s, then you have fellas involved in Sigerson Cup, and you also have the Railway Cup.”

DERRY (NFL Div 1 v Cork): T Mallon; C Craig, C McKaigue, D McBride; K Johnston, A McAlynn, SL McGoldrick; F Doherty, P Bradley; C McFaul, M Lynch, E Lynn; J Kielt, E McGuckin, C O’Boyle.

TYRONE (NFL Div 1 v Kerry): N Morgan; PJ Quinn, C Clarke, B Tierney; D McBride, P Harte, R McNabb; C Cavanagh, S Cavanagh; E McKenna, R O’Neill, S McGuigan; D McCurry, M Donnelly, P McNeice.

DUBLIN (NFL v Kildare): S Cluxton; S George, P McMahon, M Fitzsimons; J McCaffrey, J McCarthy, J Cooper; C O’Sullivan, M D MacAuley; P Flynn, C Kilkenny, B Cullen; K McManamon, C Reddin, 15 C Costello.

LAOIS (NFL Div 2 v Armagh): G Brody; D Booth, M Timmons, P O’Leary; D Strong, P Begley, P McMahon; J O’Loughlin, K Meaney; J Finn, D Kingston, C Begley; R Munnelly, D Conway, B Sheehan.

ANTRIM (NFL Div 4 v Carlow): C Kerr; R Johnson, M Johnson, N Delargy; T Scullion, J Crozier, J Laverty; M McCann, B Hasson; C Murray, M Sweeney, P Kelly; CJ McGourty, P Cunningham, M Pollock.