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TEAM NEWS: Kerry recall O’Brien for Cork showdown

Published

5 years ago

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11 August 2019; Stephen O'Brien of Kerry celebrates after scoring his side's first goal of the game during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final match between Kerry and Tyrone at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

Kerry manager Peter Keane has drafted in experienced half forward Stephen O'Brien for this Sunday's do-or-die Munster Senior Football Championship semi-final against Cork.

O'Brien, who did not travel to Monaghan for the penultimate round of the Allianz National League and was a second-half substitute in the side's recent match against Donegal, comes in at the expense of Micheál Burns in Kerry's only change from that title-clinching victory a fortnight ago.

Keane will be hoping that the Kenmare Shamrocks man can put in another big performance against Cork; O'Brien was Man of the Match when the sides last met, in the Munster final in June of last year.

On the other wing, Listry's Ronan Buckley is set to make his championship debut after suitably impressing the management team throughout the final part of Kerry's post-lockdown league campaign.

Meanwhile, Tony Brosnan of Dr Crokes will make his second senior championship appearance in the green and gold, over four years after making his first. Brosnan will line out in the full forward line alongside team captain David Clifford, with No.15 Dara Moynihan likely to do most of his work further out the pitch.

As has become customary for this Kerry set-up, the substitutes will be named on the day of the game.

 

Kerry team to play Cork:

  1. Shane Ryan (Rathmore)
  2. Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue)
  3. Tadhg Morley (Templenoe)
  4. Tom O'Sullivan (Dingle)
  5. Paul Murphy (Rathmore)
  6. Peter Crowley (Laune Rangers)
  7. Gavin White (Dr Crokes)
  8. David Moran (Kerins' O'Rahilly's)
  9. Diarmuid O'Connor (Na Gaeil)
  10. Stephen O'Brien (Kenmare Shamrocks)
  11. Seán O'Shea (Kenmare Shamrocks)
  12. Ronan Buckley (Listry)
  13. Tony Brosnan (Dr Crokes)
  14. David Clifford (Fossa - Captain)
  15. Dara Moynihan (Spa)

 

Cork revealed their team last night (Thursday) and bainisteoir Ronan McCarthy will hand starts to three debutants, namely full back Maurice Shanley, centre back Seán Meehan, and centre forward Colm O'Callaghan.

Mark Keane, the Mitchelstown native who has been playing AFL for Melbourne side Collingwood, is named on the bench.

 

Cork team to play Kerry:

  1. Micheál Martin (Nemo Rangers)
  2. Sean Powter (Douglas)
  3. Maurice Shanley (Clonakilty)
  4. Kevin Flahive (Douglas)
  5. Kevin O’Donovan (Nemo Rangers)
  6. Sean Meehan (Kiskeam)
  7. Mattie Taylor (Mallow)
  8. Ian Maguire (St Finbarr's - Captain)
  9. Killian O’Hanlon (Kilshannig)
  10. John O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers)
  11. Colm O’Callaghan (Eire Óg)
  12. Ruairi Deane (Bantry Blues)
  13. Mark Collins (Castlehaven)
  14. Brian Hurley (Castlehaven)
  15. Luke Connolly (Nemo Rangers)
  16. Anthony Casey (Kiskeam)
  17. Sam Ryan (St Finbarrs)
  18. Paul Ring (Aghabullogue)
  19. Michael Hurley (Castlehaven)
  20. Tadhg Corkery (Cill na Martra)
  21. Paul Walsh (Kanturk)
  22. Kevin O’Driscoll (Tadhg MacCarthaigh)
  23. Sean White (Clonakilty)
  24. Paul Kerrigan (Nemo Rangers)
  25. Mark Keane (Mitchelstown)
  26. Damien Gore (Kilmacabea)

 

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Home cup tie for St Paul’s could be epic

Published

4 weeks ago

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7 November 2025

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Paudie O’Connor National Cup (Round 1)

Utility Trust St Paul’s v GCU Brunell

Saturday 7.30pm

Killarney Sports and Leisure Centre

The St Paul’s women’s team will be hoping to get their National Cup adventure off the ground on Saturday when they welcome 2024 champions Brunell to Killarney. Tip-off in the Killarney Sports and Leisure Centre is at 7.30pm.

Paul’s have displayed some fine early season form, although their unbeaten start in the Super League came to an abrupt end last weekend when they lost to the Trinity Meteors in Dublin. James Fleming’s side weren’t at their best on the day but they were well in contention heading into the final quarter with the scores at 47-45 in favour of the hosts. The Meteors pushed on in the fourth, however, eventually running out 63-53 winners.

St Paul’s scorers on the night were Maisie Burnham (13), Tara Cousins (12), Lorraine Scanlon (12), Lovisa Hevinder (9), Denise Dunlea (5) and Leah McMahon (2).

The Killarney club are now joint second in the table alongside the Meteors with both teams holding a 4-1 record. Killester are top having won each of their first five games.

Paul’s opponents on Saturday, Brunell, have won three out of five league matches so far.

LAKERS

The Utility Trust St Paul’s Lakers have now won three of their last four games in Division 1 of the Men’s National League following an impressive home victory over Moycullen in Killarney.

Eoin Carroll and Jack O’Sullivan made significant contributions of the Boys in Black; Carroll hit 17 points and collected 13 rebounds while O’Sullivan had 14 points, 12 rebounds and some spectacular blocks.

Steve Kelly posted 30 points and the durable Sam Grant played every second, adding 21 points along the way.

The Lakers started well before the visitors found their footing and the sides went in level at the half-time break after scores by home captain Carroll. There was still nothing to separate the teams entering the fourth quarter (68-65) but buckets by Carroll, Pablo Murcia and Grant opened up a nine-point lead. Moycullen fought back admirably, however, cutting the deficit to just four, but Luke O’Hea’s charges held firm to prevail by eight (88-80).

Next up is a cup tie against the Tipperary Talons, a side they defeated by 30 points just a couple of weeks ago. The cup can be very different to the league, though, and they will need another solid performance to advance to the next round. Tip-off in in Killenaule is at 6.30pm on Saturday.

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Chances of Kerry v Cork Munster final in 2026 decrease as Munster GAA delay seeding plan

Published

4 weeks ago

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7 November 2025

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After facing a backlash from Limerick, Clare, Waterford and Tipperary players, Munster GAA have postponed their plan to keep Cork and Kerry separate in the 2026 Munster Football Championship.

The new seeding system – which gives the two highest ranked Munster teams in the National League byes to separate semi-finals – will now come into play in 2027, twelve months later than initially planned.

This will give Clare and Limerick a chance to earn promotion to Division 2 of the league, potentially overtaking Cork if the Rebels were to get relegated to Division 3.

Despite traditionally being the two main contenders for Munster football honours, Kerry and Cork haven’t met in a provincial decider since 2021. The Kingdom have won each of the finals since then (one versus Limerick and three versus Clare) by an average margin of 15.75 points.

More high-profile Kerry v Cork finals might be desirable for fans of those teams, businesses in Killarney and Cork, and neutrals alike but Munster GAA’s plans to effectively keep the great rivals on opposite sides of the draw understandably drew criticism from the other participating counties. A statement by the GPA confirmed that players from Limerick, Clare, Waterford and Tipp had met via Zoom to discuss the matter. They were said to be “deeply disappointed and concerned” by the decision.

The 12-month delay will at least give two of those disaffected teams an opportunity to benefit from the new seeding process.

The draw for the 2026 Munster Football Championship will take place on November 27 under the old rules. As 2025 finalists, Kerry and Clare will get byes to the last four (but they will not necessarily be kept apart).

Nine members of Kerry’s squad are up for All-Stars at tonight’s awards ceremony in Dublin with Joe O’Connor and David Clifford also in contention for the prestigious Footballer of the Year award.

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