Kerry boss Keane includes four debutants for Clare clash

Kerry manager Peter Keane has included four debutants in his first championship side, which will take on Clare in Cusack Park in tomorrow night’s Munster SFC semi-final (7pm).

The Kingdom are attempting to win a seventh straight provincial title and those included for the first time are goalkeeper Shane Ryan of Rathmore, Templenoe pair Gavin Crowley and Adrian Spillane at wing-back and midfield respectively, and Diarmuid O’Connor (Na Gaeil) at right half-forward.

Their additions mean that Kerry have given 11 players a championship debut over the past year.

Only seven of the team started Kerry’s last championship game, the facile Super 8 win over Kildare in Killarney last August, which proved to be Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s final game in charge.

While such a turnover may be expected, there are also six changes from the league final defeat to Mayo at the end of March.

Key defenders Peter Crowley and Paul Murphy are ruled out, meaning that Tadhg Morley is in at full-back while Jack Sherwood moves to centre-back with Shane Enright at number 7.

With Jack Barry also unavailable through injury, Spillane partners David Moran in the middle, while James O’Donovan will make his first start of the season, joining David Clifford and Paul Geaney in the full-forward line. Dara Moynihan, Tommy Walsh and Kevin McCarthy also make way.

KERRY (SFC v Clare): S Ryan (Rathmore); J Foley (Ballydonoghue), T Morley (Templenoe), T O’Sullivan (Dingle); G Crowley (Templenoe), J Sherwood (Firies), S Enright (Tarbert); D Moran (Kerins O’Rahillys), A Spillane (Templenoe); D O’Connor (Na Gaeil), S O’Shea (Kenmare), S O’Brien (Kenmare); D Clifford (Fossa), P Geaney (Dingle), J O’Donoghue (Leigon). Subs: B Kelly (Legion), M Griffin (St Michael’s/Foilmore), B Ó Beaglaioch (An Ghaeltacht), M Geaney (Dingle), G O’Sullivan (Piarsaigh na Dromoda), T Walsh (Kerins O’Rahillys), J Lyne (Legion), M Burns (Dr Crokes), R Wharton (Renard), C Geaney (Dingle), G White (Dr Crokes).

CLARE: S Ryan; G Kelly, C Brennan, K Hartnett; S Collins, A Fitzgerald, D Ryan; G Brennan, C O'Connor; K Moore, E Cleary, J Malone; C O'Dea, C Murray, G Cooney.