Kildare unchanged for Farney test

Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney has backed the team that overwhelmed Derry to do the business against Monaghan in tomorrow's All-Ireland SFC fourth round qualifier.

McGeeney has named an unchanged side for the Croke Park tie (throw-in 3pm), with Tomas O'Connor shrugging off a knee injury to retain the number 12 jersey.

The injury forced O'Connor off in the ninth minute of last weekend's 2-17 to 1-9 win over Derry, with his replacement Alan Smith slotting home a late goal in the second half.

But Smith's efforts were not enough to force his way back into the starting line-up, with Eoghan O'Flaherty, another second half scorer, also kept in reserve.

The rest of the Kildare team is along expected lines. Corner forwards Johnny Doyle and Eamonn Callaghan have both in a rich vein of form.

In the Lilywhites' four-match run in the qualifiers, which has included victories over Antrim, Leitrim and Derry, the pair have scored 2-31 between them.

Tomorrow's game marks the first Kildare v Monaghan Championship clash since 1930 when the Farney men won an All-Ireland semi-final by 1-6 to 1-4.

Kildare are looking to qualify for the All-Ireland quarter-finals for the third successive season, while Monaghan last made the final eight in 2007.

KILDARE (SFC v Monaghan): S McCormack; P Kelly, H McGrillen, A MacLochlainn; M O’Flaherty, E Bolton, B Flanagan; D Flynn, D Earley; J Kavanagh, P O'Neill, T O'Connor; J Doyle (capt), R Sweeney, E Callaghan.