Fresh faces for Cork and Kerry in league openers

Kerry face Donegal on Sunday while Cork play Meath on Saturday.

Eddie Healy of Kerry during the EirGrid Munster GAA U20 Football Championship Final match against Cork. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Just seven players who started for Kerry in last year's All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Armagh will line out for the Kingdom in this Sunday's Division 1 league opener against Donegal at Fitzgerald Stadium. 

Shane Ryan, Jason Foley, Tom O'Sullivan, Tadhg Morley, Diarmuid O'Connor, Seán O'Shea and Paudie Clifford all started last July. It means that two players are set to make their debuts. Eddie Healy of Listowel Emmets, who has been named at corner-back, and Cathal Ó Beaglaoich of An Ghaeltacht, who starts in midfield. 

Neil Lordan, Seán Walsh and Seán McDonnell are among the fresh faces in the Cork team named to face Meath for their Allianz Football League Division 2 opener against Meath in SuperValu Páirc Ui Chaoimh on Saturday.

Of the team that exited the championship against Louth at the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final stage last year, there are eight starters – Daniel O’Mahony, Maurice Shanley, Rory Maguire, Mattie Taylor, Colm O’Callaghan, Mark Cronin, Brian O’Driscoll and Chris Óg Jones. Another – Tommy Walsh – is listed on the bench.

KERRY (AFL v Donegal): S Ryan; E Healy, J Foley, T O'Sullivan; M Breen, T Morley, S O'Brien; D O'Connor, C Ó Beaglaoich; R Murphy, S O'Shea, P Clifford; D Geaney, D O'Sullivan, C Geaney. 

Subs: S Coffey, K Spillane, C Trant, T L O'Sullivan, K Evans, C Flannery, D Lyne, E Clifford, G O'Sullivan, C O'Grady

CORK (AFL v Meath): M.A. Martin (Nemo Rangers); M. Shanley (Clonakilty), D. O’Mahony (Knocknagree), N. Lordan (Ballinora); B. O’Driscoll (Carrigaline), R. Maguire (Castlehaven), M. Taylor (Mallow); S. Walsh (Mitchelstown), C. O’Callaghan (Éire Óg); P. Walsh (Kanturk), S. Powter (Douglas), E. McSweeney (Knocknagree); M. Cronin (Nemo Rangers), C. Jones (Uíbh Laoire), S. McDonnell (Mallow). 

Subs: P. Doyle (Knocknagree), T. Walsh (Kanturk), B. Murphy (Nemo Rangers), D. Cashman (Millstreet), S. Brady (Ballygarvan), S. Dore (Ballincollig), C. Maguire (Castlehaven), É. Desmond (Carrigaline), H. O’Connor (Newmarket), C. O’Mahony (Mitchelstown), L. Murphy (Cullen).