McGeeney names unchanged Kildare side to face Meath
Kildare will field an unchanged team when they take on Meath in Sunday's Leinster SFC semi-final showdown at Croke Park (throw-in 2pm).
Manager Kieran McGeeney has retained the same fifteen players who started the 0-19 to 0-6 quarter-final victory over Offaly, although there are a number of positional switches.
Michael Foley will be stationed at full-back in a bid to thwart to influence of Meath's target man Joe Sheridan, while Emmet Bolton, a regular wing back, pairs up with Robert Kelly at centre-field.
Midfield is an area of depth for the Lilywhites with Dermot Earley and Gary White both back from injury and Daryl Flynn, who replaced Kelly against Offaly, also pushing for selection.
"You try to pick the right players for the job, if they don't play well the manager gets it in the neck and the players get it in the neck from me," McGeeney told the Kildare Nationalist.
"Rob has a lot to offer the team but he knows he is going to be up against it, with Daryl pushing hard again after his injury, Dermot is coming back and 'Chalky' (Gary White) is pushing hard for midfield as well.
"That is what you are looking for, you are looking for competition for places and it could be a different set of players the next day, you just don’t know."
There is a tried and trusted look to the Kildare attack with captain John Doyle, who is set to make his 59th consecutive Championship appearance, positioned at top of the right.
Fellow forward and vice-captain Eamonn Callaghan returned to full training last week following groin surgery in Philadelphia, but McGeeney is unlikely to rush him back to Championship action.
KILDARE (SFC v Meath): Shane Connolly; Hugh McGrillen, Michael Foley, Peter Kelly; Eoin Doyle, Morgan O'Flaherty, Ollie Lyons; Emmet Bolton, Robert Kelly; James Kavanagh, Mikey Conway, Padraig O'Neill; John Doyle (capt), Tomás O’Connor, Eoghan O’Flaherty.
