Kerry plan without Seán O’Shea for Armagh showdown 

A knee injury is set to keep the Kingdom star out of the game in Tralee.

ABSENT: Sean O'Shea of Kenmare Shamrocks has missed the last two Kerry games. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Seán O’Shea remains unavailable to Kerry as they prepare for their crucial Division 1, Round 6 clash with Armagh on Saturday.

The Kenmare Shamrocks man has not featured in the county’s last two fixtures with a knee injury and the ailment is set to keep him out of the game at Austin Stack Park.

Speaking after the away win over Tyrone last month, manager Jack O’Connor explained that the forward did not travel as he was resting his knee. “He has a bit of an issue with his knee. It’s not major but we need to get it right so that it doesn’t keep picking at him all year.” 

Two years ago, O’Shea did not return until the third round of the league with a similar knee problem. “I just had a little bit of an issue in the knee, bit of a niggle in the knee from last year,” he said at the time. “It just needed a couple of weeks extra to clear up.” O’Shea, who started all of Kerry’s seven round games last season, also began the first three this year, which came in the space of 13 days. Across those games, he scored 17 points including four two-pointers, two of them from play.

Tom O’Sullivan is also expected to miss out on the game in Killarney as he continues to rehab the calf injury he picked up in the early stages of the defeat to Dublin in Tralee last month.

However, there is some good news as Tadhg Morley and 2025 captain Gavin White are expected to be in the shake-up for selection. Morley has been missing since hurting his groin in the loss to Donegal while White has not appeared for the county this season.

From the starting team that were beaten by Armagh in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final, O’Connor should have 12 players available. Tony Brosnan could also come into the reckoning after missing the trip to Mayo.

Meanwhile, Armagh’s 2024 All-Ireland winner and All Star Rian O’Neill could make his seasonal return for the clash. O’Neill rejoined the panel prior to the recent win over Dublin.