Kerry unchanged for Clare clash
After getting their Championship bid back on track against Tyrone, Kerry will unsurprisingly field an unchanged team when they tackle Clare tomorrow in the All-Ireland SFC qualifiers.
Former captain Darran O'Sullivan has to be content with a place on the bench once again, with Kieran O'Leary, Patrick Curtin and Seamus Scanlon also listed among the substitutes.
The Gaelic Grounds encounter (throw-in 7pm) will mark Kerry's first Championship match against Clare since the Kingdom beat them 1-14 to 0-5 in a Munster semi-final four years ago.
Kerry handed fellow heavyweights Tyrone a 10-point defeat last weekend to maintain their 100% all-time record in the qualifiers. They are 70 minutes away from reaching the All-Ireland quarter-finals for the 12th
successive year.
Two of their most influential players, Tomás Ó Sé and Colm Cooper, are set create their own pieces of history this weekend.
Wing back Ó Sé will become the holder of the GAA Football Championship appearances record when he makes his 82nd SFC appearance, surpassing his own brother Darragh's previous best (81).
Meanwhile, current Kerry captain Cooper needs only three more points to break Mike Sheehy's all-time Championship scoring record of 292 points (29-205).
Kerry legend Sheehy's record has stood for a full 25 years, and Cooper, already noted as arguably the best forward of the modern day era, would be a fitting replacement at the top of the scoring charts.
The 'Gooch' has scored 18 goals and 236 points for a 290-point tally in his Championship career to date. He shot 0-5 in the win over Tyrone, showing glimpses of his best form after a recent move to the full-forward position.
KERRY (SFC v Clare): Brendan Kealy; Marc Ó Sé, Aidan O’Mahony, Shane Enright; Tomás Ó Sé, Eoin Brosnan, Killian Young; Anthony Maher, Bryan Sheehan; Paul Galvin, Declan O’Sullivan, Donnchadh Walsh; James O’Donoghue, Colm Cooper (capt), Kieran Donaghy.
Subs: Brian Kelly, Brian Maguire, Peter Crowley, Darran O’Sullivan, Kieran O’Leary, Johnny Buckley, Patrick Curtin, Jonathan Lyne, Seamus Scanlon, Barry John Keane, Fionn Fitzgerald, Michael Geaney.
