Galway's dual star Alan Kerins has suffered a major blow after he was replaced by Paul Clancy in the county's line-up for this Sunday's All-Ireland Football Final against Meath. Kerins had already suffered the disappointment of losing the All-Ireland Hurling Final to Tipperary but, just a week later, things went from bad to worse after the Galway selectors named their team for the football final last night and Kerins discovered he had been relegated to the substitutes bench.
Clancy came on as a substitute for Jarlath Fallon in the semi-final victory over Derry but will line out at wing-forward against Meath in place of Kerins. Fallon also returns at centre-forward for Sunday's game. In total, the team shows five changes from that which lined out against Kerry in last year's All-Ireland Final. Missing are the retired keeper Martin McNamara and forward Niall Finnegan, backs Tomas Meehan and John Divilly, and Sean O'Domhnaill.
Galway manager John O'Mahony revealed he decided to name his team this early because he has no injury concerns and he wanted everyone on the panel to know exactly where they stand. Meath are not due to name their team until Wednesday night but they are not expected to make any changes.
Galway: A Keane; K Fitzgerald, G Fahey (capt.), R Fahey; D Meehan, T Mannion, S de Paor; K Walsh, M Donnellan; P Clancy, J Fallon, J Bergin; D Savage, P Joyce, T Joyce.
Subs: P Lally, M Comer, T Meehan, M Colleran, S O Domhnaill, A Kerins, M Clancy, K Comer, J Donnellan, J Divilly, S Walsh, R Silke, K Naughton.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
