Jack O'Connor makes two changes to Kerry team to face Cork in Munster final

The Kingdom will start with seven of last season's All-Ireland final side. 

Kerry manager Jack O'Connor has shown his cards for the provincial showpiece. Pic: Paul Phelan/Sportsfile

Kerry go with just seven of the team that started last year’s All-Ireland SFC final success for Sunday’s Munster showdown with Cork in Killarney (1.45pm throw-in).

Two of them – Gavin White and Dylan Geaney – are named on the bench but missing from the squad are Shane Ryan, Paul Murphy, Brian Ó Beaglaoich, Joe O’Connor, Seán O’Shea and Graham O’Sullivan. Also out with a groin strain is Tom O’Sullivan.

Killian Spillane, Tadhg Morley, Micheál Burns and Diarmuid O’Connor, who came off the bench against Donegal last July, are named to start in Fitzgerald Stadium.

Paul Geaney, an unused substitute 10 months ago, captains the team as Jack O’Connor starts with 13 of the side that began the semi-final win over Clare in Ennis two weeks ago. Injured Tom O’Sullivan and Cillian Trant, who is among the substitutes, are replaced by Evan Looney and Seán O’Brien with Diarmuid O’Connor moving to wing-forward.

From last year’s side that were in from the outset against Cork in their group win in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Kerry have eight survivors – Casey, Jason Foley, White, Breen, the Clifford brothers, Paul Geaney and Burns.

KERRY (SFC v Cork): S. Murphy; E. Looney, J. Foley, D. Casey; T. Morley, M. Breen, A. Heinrich; M. O’Shea, S. O’Brien; M. Burns, P. Clifford, D. O’Connor; D. Clifford, P. Geaney (c), K. Evans. Subs: S. Broderick, T. Brosnan, C. Trant, K. Spillane, E. Healy, G. White, D. Geaney, T. Kennedy, D. O’Sullivan, J. Nagle, C. Collins.