Brosnan returns for Kingdom

EOIN BROSNAN will line out for Kerry for the first time since the 2009 Munster semi-final replay defeat to Cork, when the Kingdom travel to face Mayo in Sunday’s Allianz Division 1 Football League clash in Castlebar.

The Dr Crokes player will start the game at centre-back while club teammate Colm Cooper also returns to the side for the first time in 2011. Cooper will captain a side that shows five changes from the opening day defeat to Cork.

Skellig Rangers player Gary O’Driscoll makes his league debut at right half-forward, while left corner-back Shane Enright and midfielder Seamus Scanlon are other inclusions along with Brosnan and Cooper. Padraig O’Connor, Tomás Ó Sé, Anthony Maher, the suspended Barry John Keane and Barry John Walsh all make way. Killian Young and Bryan Sheehan are drafted into the bench.

Mayo have rung the changes for the game with six alterations from their draw against Down a fortnight ago. Robert Hennelly will start in goal replacing Kenneth O’Malley, while Chris Barrett, Peadar Gardiner and Trevor Howley come into the defence for Cathal Hallinan, Richie Feeney and Keith Higgins. In attack Aidan Campbell and Aidan Kilcoyne are handed starting berths at the expense of Enda Varley and Alan Freeman.

Cork football boss Conor Counihan has handed Ballinascarthy’s Denis O’Sullivan his league debut at right half-back for tomorrow night’s trip to face Dublin in Croke Park.

O’Sullivan replaces the suspended Noel O’Leary, while elsewhere in defence Michael Shields and Paudie Kissane makes their first starts of the 2011 campaign instead of Eoin Cadogan and John Miskella. Paddy O’Shea comes into goal for Ken O’Halloran while Alan O’Connor is also drafted into the team for John Hayes.

The Cork hurling management have also made five changes for their Division 1 clash with Kilkenny in Nowlan Park on Sunday. Experienced duo Ronan Curran and Niall McCarthy return to the side at centre-back and centre-forward respectively, Martin Coleman is named in goal, Graham Callinan comes in at midfield while Michael Cussen will start at wing-forward. Anthony Nash, William Egan, Jerry O’Connor, Tom Kenny and Cathal Naughton are the quintet to make way.

Limerick hurling boss Donal O’Grady has drafted Paudie O’Brien, Eoin Ryan and Niall Maher into his team for tomorrow’s Division 2 tie with Westmeath in the Gaelic Grounds. O’Brien will start at left half-back, Ryan plays at midfield and Maher gets the nod at left half-forward. David Breen, Paul Browne and Niall Moran are omitted on this occasion.

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte has included Niall McKenna at midfield for tomorrow night’s Division 2 game against Donegal in Omagh. The game will be McKenna’s first league debut as he replaces Aidan Cassidy in the starting 15.

Davy Harte and Aidan McCrory come into the defence with PJ Quinn and Damien McCaul losing out. Pascal McConnell will replace Jonathan Curran in goal while Owen Mulligan is included among the substitutes after returning from Australia.

KERRY (SF v Mayo): B Kealy; P Reidy, M Ó’Sé, S Enright; A O’Mahony, E Brosnan, J Lyne; S Scanlon, D Moran; G O’Driscoll, D O’Sullivan, D Walsh; C Cooper, K Donaghy, D Geaney.

Subs: T Mac an tSaoir, A Maher, P Geaney, K Young, K O’Leary, P Crowley, B Maguire, A O’Connell, D Casey, B Sheehan.

MAYO (SF v Kerry): R Hennelly; T Cunniffe, G Cafferkey, C Barrett; P Gardiner, T Howley, K McLoughlin; J Gibbons, R McGarrity; A Campbell, A Moran, A Dillon; A O’Shea, A Kilcoyne, M Ronaldson.

CORK (SF v Dublin): P O’Shea; R Carey, J O’Sullivan, M Shields; D O’Sullivan, P Kissane, C O’Driscoll; A O’Connor, A Walsh; P O’Neill, P Kelly, F Goold; D Goulding, C O’Neill, D O’Connor.

CORK (SH v Kilkenny): M Coleman; S McDonnell, E Cadogan, S Murphy; J Gardiner, R Curran, M Ellis; G Callinan, B Murphy; M Cussen, N McCarthy, P Cronin; P O’Sullivan, P Horgan, B O’Connor. Subs: D Óg Cusack, E Dillon, C O’Sullivan, J O’Connor, T Kenny, L McLoughlin, C McCarthy, C Naughton, W Egan, K Murphy.

LIMERICK (SH v Westmeath): N Quaid; S Walsh, S Lucey, D Moloney; W McNamara, S Hickey, P O’Brien; D O’Grady, E Ryan; R McCarthy, J Ryan, N Maher; A O’Shaughnessy, K Downes, G Mulcahy.

TYRONE (SF v Donegal): P McConnell; A McCrory, C McCarron, R McMenamin; D Harte, C Gormley, D Carlin; K Hughes, N McKenna; P Harte, B McGuigan, S Cavanagh; M Penrose, S O’Neill, E McGinley.

DUBLIN (SH v Tipperary): G Maguire; S Hiney, T Brady, S Lambert; N Corcoran, J Boland, S Durkin; J McCaffrey, S Ryan; C Keaney, D O’Dwyer, C McCormack; D O’Callaghan, L Rushe, P Carton.

KERRY (SH v Down): B Rochford; A Keane, J Godley, C Harris; A Royle, T Murnane, P O’Grady; J Griffin, D Dineen; D O’Connell, M Boyle, L Boyle; J Egan, A Boyle, S Nolan.

TIPPERARY (SH v Dublin): D Gleeson; P Stapleton, P Curran, M Cahill; D Young, C O’Mahony, Padraic Maher; B Maher, S McGrath; G Ryan, P Bourke, Patrick Maher; J O’Neill, P Fanning, S Carey.

OFFALY (SH v Galway): J Dempsey; S Egan, P Healion, B Mulrooney; R Hanniffy, D Kenny, D Morkam; C Mahon, D Hayden; B Carroll, J Bergin, S Wynne; C Parlon, C Egan, S Dooley.