All-Ireland final team news: One change for Mayo, Geaney only makes Kerry bench 

ABSENT: Paul Geaney is fit enough to make the bench but will not start in the decider on Sunday. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Conor Loftus has been named in the Mayo team to start Sunday’s All-Ireland final.

The Crossmolina Deel Rovers man was also given the No11 jersey for the quarter-final and semi-final wins over Cork and Louth but started neither game. He was previously in from the off in the Round 3 win over Meath.

Paul Towey was a late replacement in both fixtures for Loftus and is included in the substitutes. Loftus is the only change from the side that began the semi-final victory.

In all, Mayo have 10 All-Ireland final debutants in the team. Just three of the team that started the county’s previous All-Ireland final five years ago are announced in the starting 15 – Loftus, Stephen Coen and Ryan O’Donoghue. Another seven of the 2021 team – Rob Hennelly, Paddy Durcan, Matthew Ruane, Loftus, Diarmuid O’Connor, Aidan O’Shea and Tommy Conroy – are listed as substitutes.

Enda Hession and Jordan Flynn, who came off the bench against Tyrone that year, are due to begin this weekend.

No changes have been announced to the Kerry team.

Brian Ó Beaglaoich is named again on the bench along with 2026 captain Paul Geaney who is available once more after a quad strain.

Seán O’Shea, who took Geaney’s spot in the semi-final, retains his place in the forward line and Shane Ryan comes back into the panel as substitute goalkeeper.

However, Tony Brosnan is an absentee from the matchday squad and Killian Spillane, who came into the panel following Geaney’s absence against Dublin, remains in the 26.

It is expected David Clifford, whose jersey changes from what has been unlucky 13 to 14, will lead Kerry in the game and pre-match presidential greeting and parade. Clifford skippered the side against Dublin, although Seán O’Shea had done so in the Division 1 final defeat to Donegal in March.

Ryan and Ó Beaglaoich are the two changes from the team that began last year’s All-Ireland final win over Donegal. Shane Murphy and Diarmuid O’Connor are the new faces in that regard.

KERRY (SFC v Mayo): S. Murphy; P. Murphy, J. Foley, D. Casey; G. O’Sullivan, M. Breen, G. White; M. O’Shea, S. O’Brien; J. O’Connor, S. O’Shea, D. O’Connor; P. Clifford, D. Clifford, D. Geaney. 

Subs: S. Ryan, E. Looney, T. Kennedy, K. Evans, P. Geaney (c), A. Heinrich, B. Ó Beaglaoich, T. Morley, M. Burns, T. O’Sullivan, K. Spillane.

MAYO (SFC v Louth): J. Livingston; J. Coyne (c), D. McHugh, E. McGreal; S. Callinan, D. McBrien, E. Hession; B. Tuohy, J. Carney; S. Coen, C. Loftus, J. Flynn; D. Beirne, R. O’Donoghue, K. McDonald. 

Subs: R. Hennelly, F. Kelly, P. Durcan, R. Brickenden, C. Dawson, A. O’Shea, M. Ruane, P. Towey, D. O’Connor, T. Conroy, C. McHale.