Cillian O'Connor has been included in Mayo squad for their away Division 1 clash against Kerry in Tralee, officially signalling his return to the setup after a year out of action.
The 33-year-old O'Connor - the highest all-time scorer in the championship and a two-time All Star - had opted out for the 2025 campaign, though insisted that he was not retiring from inter-county football.
The Ballintubber star last played for Mayo in their preliminary quarter-final defeat to Derry in 2024. Mayo boss Andy Moran, a long-time teammate of O'Connor, disclosed that he had rejoined the Mayo setup last autumn and has been "getting his body right" in the meantime.
O'Connor is named on the bench alongside a forward 15 years his junior, with Kobe McDonald also listed among the substitutes. The AFL-bound Crossmolina teenager has made an explosive impact so far in this league, with dazzling cameo displays against both Monaghan and Armagh.
Elsewhere, Andy Moran has made five changes to the starting line-up from the side that beat Armagh, with Diarmuid O'Connor making his first start of the campaign, lining out at centre-back with Conor Loftus exiting the team.
Conal Dawson replaces the absent Paddy Durcan at wing-back, and Donnacha McHugh is in for Enda Hession at corner-back. There are two changes in the full-forward line, with Darragh Beirne and Fergal Boland starting in place of Cian McHale and Paul Towey.
For the home side, David Clifford returns to the starting team after sitting out the first 55 minutes in the easy win over Monaghan, before coming on to bury the only goal of the game in the final quarter.
His brother Paudie drops out of the squad having scored 0-04 in the win over Monaghan. Daingean Uí Chúis star Tom O'Sullivan returns to the starting team, with Eddie Healy held in reserve. Sean O'Brien is restored to midfield with Joe O'Connor named at wing-forward.
Kerry: Shane Murphy, Paul Murphy, Jason Foley, Dylan Casey, Tom O'Sullivan, Tadhg Morley, Armin Heinrich, Mark O’Shea, Sean O'Brien, Joe O'Connor, Sean O’Shea, Graham O’Sullivan, Dylan Geaney, David Clifford, Keith Evans.
Subs: Seán Broderick, Eddie Healy, Cillian Trant, Micheál Burns, Liam Smith, Donagh O'Sullivan, Charlie Keating, Mike Breen, Tom Leo O'Sullivan, Tomás Kennedy, Ciarán Collins.
Mayo: Rob Hennelly; Jack Coyne, Rory Brickenden, Donnacha McHugh; Sam Callinan, Diarmuid O'Connor, Conal Dawson; Bob Tuohy, David McBrien; Jack Carney, Ryan O'Donoghue, Jordan Flynn; Darragh Beirne, Aidan O’Shea, Fergal Boland.
Subs: Jack Livingstone, Diarmuid Duffy, Michael Plunkett, Stephen Coen, Fenton Kelly, Seamus Howard, Kobe McDonald, Sean Morahan, Cian McHale, Paul Towey, Cillian O'Connor.
Ger Brennan has stuck with the same starting XV that devoured Roscommon for their crucial home tie against Armagh in Croke Park on Saturday night.
The game at HQ has been billed as a potential relegation decider, with a defeat for the visitors confirming their relegation, while a loss for Dublin would likely plunge them back into the relegation places heading into the final round of games.
The Dubs have kept faith with the same team that overturned the form-book with an 11-point win over a Roscommon side who had won their three previous games.
Kieran McGeeney has made just one change in his named line-up this evening from the side who were edged out in Castlebar, with Fergal O'Brien included instead of Darragh McMullan.
McGeeney has won all three competitive games against Dublin during his tenure as Armagh manager, beating them in Croke Park in the 2022 league opener and then twice last year, in both league and championship.
Dublin: Hugh O'Sullivan; Eoin Murchan, Nathan Doran, David Byrne; Eoin Kennedy, Brian Howard, Alex Gavin; Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne, Charlie McMorrow; Luke Breathnach, Seán Bugler, Niall Scully; Paddy Small, Killian McGinnis, Ciaran Kilkenny.
Subs: Evan Comerford, Greg McEneaney, Sean MacMahon, Ross McGarry, Conor Tyrrell, Liam Smith, Cian O'Connor, Lorcan O'Dell, Jack Lundy, Niall O'Callaghan, Cormac Costello.
Armagh: Blaine Hughes; Tomás McCormack, Gareth Murphy, Peter McGrane; Ross McQuillan, Tiernan Kelly, Jarly Óg Burns; Callum O'Neill, Ben Crealey; Fergal O'Brien, Conor Turbitt, Greg McCabe; Cian McConville, Oisín O'Neill, Oisín Conaty.
Subs: Ethan Rafferty, Aidan Forker, Tomás Gavin, Jason Duffy, Darragh McMullan, Paddy Burns, Aaron O'Neill, Dan McCarthy, Padraig O'Keefe, Sean McCarthy, Ruairí McDonald.
