Tommy Walsh will start his first competitive game for Kerry in more than two years when he lines out at full-forward for Sunday’s Allianz Football League Division 1 clash with Galway.
The 2008 All-Ireland winner returned to the Kingdom panel in 2016 after a spell in Australia playing Aussie Rules with Sydney Swans and St Kilda, but he left the set-up shortly after.
New Kerry boss Peter Keane called him up before the start of the season and following two substitute appearances in wins over Cavan and Dublin, Walsh gets his start.
He is one of four changes to the team that beat Dublin in a hum-dinger the last day out as Keane’s men look to make it four top flight wins out of four.
Walsh takes over from Paul Geaney in the full-forward line while in defence Shane Enright replaces Brian Ó Beaglaíoch and Gavin Crowley comes in for Tadhg Morley. Mark Griffin comes into the midfield with Adrian Spillane standing down.
Sean O’Shea starts again at centre-forward following his man of the match display in UCC’s Sigerson Cup final win over St Mary’s on Wednesday night, when he took his tally to 2-43 in his last six games.
Kerry SF: Shane Ryan; Peter Crowley, Jack Sherwood, Shane Enright; Gavin Crowley, Paul Murphy, Tom O’Sullivan; Jack Barry, Mark Griffin; Diarmuid O’Connor, Seán O’Shea, Gavin O’Brien; Dara Moynihan, Tommy Walsh, Stephen O’Brien.
Kilkenny manager Brian Cody, never a man to panic, has resisted the urge to make wholesale changes following last weekend’s humbling nine-point defeat by Limerick at Nowlan Park.
The Cats were beaten 2-18 to 0-15 in their own backyard by the All-Ireland champions and ahead of Sunday’s visit to Semple Stadium to take on Tipperary Cody has made four changes.
Jason Cleere comes into the defence in place of Enda Morrissey, Alan Murphy slots into the midfield and in a reshuffle Richie Leahy makes way and up front Kevin Kelly and James Maher are replaced by Ger Malone and Liam Blanchfield.
Kilkenny SH: Eoin Murphy; Paul Murphy, Conor Delaney, Tommy Walsh; Conor Fogarty, Paddy Deegan, Jason Cleere; Padraig Walsh, Alan Murphy; John Donnelly, Walter Walsh, Ger Malone; Billy Ryan, Liam Blanchfield, Martin Keoghan.
There are two changes to Tipp’s starting line-up from last week’s one-point loss to Wexford as Alan Flynn and Willie Connors both hold their places having been introduced in that match.
Tipperary SH: Paul Maher; Alan Flynn, James Barry, Ronan Maher; Séamus Kennedy, Padraic Maher, Robert Byrne; Michael Breen, Willie Connors; Patrick Maher, Noel McGrath, John O’Dwyer; Jason Ford, Séamus Callanan, Niall O’Meara.
Tipp footballers are unchanged for their Division 2 meeting with Armagh at the Athletics Ground this weekend.
Tipperary SF: Michael O’Reilly; Alan Campbell, John Meagher, Emmett Moloney; Kevin Fahey, Daire Brennan, Jimmy Feehan; Steven O'Brien, Liam Casey, Kevin O’Halloran; Liam McGrath, Brian Fox; Philip Austin, Conor Sweeney, Jack Kennedy.
There are two changes in the Clare hurling side to take on Wexford following their loss to Cork in their last Division 1A game. Captain Patrick O’Connor takes over in the half-backs from Cathal Malone and Donal Tuohy returns to goals in place of Keith Hogan.
Clare SH: Donal Tuohy; Rory Hayes, David McInerney, Jack Browne; Patrick O’Connor, Conor Cleary, David Fitzgerald; Shane Golden, Colm Galvin; Peter Duggan, Tony Kelly, Diarmuid Ryan; Ian Galvin, John Conlon, Podge Collins.
Waterford have named their hurling team to take on Dublin in Parnell Park on Sunday. The Deise have three wins from three and will be eager to continue their 100% record.
Waterford SH: B Nolan; S McNulty, C Prunty, N Connors; C Lyons, A Gleeson, K Moran; J Barron, M O’Brien; DJ Foran, S Roche, J Prendergast; T Ryan, Stephen Bennett, S Bennett.
