McGeeney puts faith in winning formula

Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney has resisted the temptation to tinker with the team that beat Laois by 15 points, selecting an unchanged side for Sunday's Leinster SFC final against Dublin (Croke Park, throw-in in 2pm).

Full-forward Eamonn Callaghan had been an injury doubt, having picked up a groin injury following the semi-final defeat of Laois, but he trained with the panel on Tuesday and has been passed fit.

Corner back Hugh McGrillen retains his place in the Lilywhites' line-up, after his second half withdrawal against Laois (due to a foot injury) was confirmed as precautionary.

Mikey Conway has kept Andrew McLoughlin out of the selection. The Nurney wing back injured his knee in the first round win over Offaly but bounced back strongly in the semi-final.

Sunday will mark Kildare's first appearance in the Delaney Cup decider since 2003.

Their captain John Doyle, who has scored 0-13 in this year's Leinster Championship, is mindful that chances like this do not come around too often.

Remembering Kildare's last Leinster success back in 2000, Doyle said: "I was lucky in 2000 just to come into the team and all of a sudden I had a Leinster medal. I would have known a lot of players 20 years with Kildare and never got that.

"You think is this the start of something and wonder 'will I have an All-Ireland to match it by the end of the year'?

"We went backwards from there and next Monday morning I still might have nothing."

Kildare certainly have a tough task on their hands as Dublin are gunning for their fifth successive Leinster title and they demolished Westmeath by 4-26 to 0-11 last time out.

A high-scoring game could be in the offing this weekend, as Dublin have averaged 2-20 in their two games to date and Kildare 2-15 from their victories over Offaly, Wexford and Laois.

KILDARE (SFC v Dublin) - T Corley; H McGrillen, M Foley, E Bolton; M O'Flaherty, B Flanagan, M Conway; D Flynn, D Earley; J Kavanagh, P O'Neill, R Sweeney; A Smith, E Callaghan, J Doyle (capt).