So Kieran Donaghy doesn’t get to lead the Kerry march around Croke Park on Sunday. Manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice has decided against starting his captain for Sunday’s All-Ireland football final, making three somewhat surprise changes for the much-awaited showdown against Dublin.
Paul Geaney is instead named at full forward for the All-Ireland champions, which means Donaghy must be content with a place on the bench. Fionn Fitzgerald and Aidan O’Mahony also come into the full back line in place of Paul Murphy and the veteran Marc Ó Sé - those two changes certainly not widely expected.
Midfielder David Moran, nominated as vice captain earlier in the year, will therefore take over the captain’s armband for that march around Croke Park and the game itself. Assuming this is the way Kerry do line out.
It’s a typically bold move from Fitzmaurice, who has never displayed much sentiment in his three years as Kerry manager. There was plenty of speculation that Donaghy would be dropped, given Geaney replaced him at half-time in the semi-final win over Tyrone, scoring three crucial points (including one free), as Kerry won out by four points. It is likely Donaghy will still feature at some stage, although Geaney certainly presents a less orthodox challenge for Dublin: he scored a vital goal early on in last year’s final win over Donegal, and has been the player coming into form. Colm “Gooch” Cooper is again named at right corner forward, and 2014 footballer of the year James O’Donoghue on the left.
O’Mahony takes over the full back spot from Ó Sé, who was expected to make his 86th championship appearance for Kerry, two short of the all-time record of, held by his brother Tomas; however, he too must be content with a place on the bench, even though it was expected that Ó Sé would mark Bernard Brogan.
That responsibility is now likely to go to Fitzgerald, who is named at right corner back, in place of Murphy. Fitzgerald did start in last year’s All-Ireland final win over Donegal, and also came in early on in last month’s semi-final win over Tyrone, replacing Ó Sé (who was black-carded after 17 minutes). Other Kerry players who must be content with a place on the bench are Bryan Sheehan, Darran O’Sullivan, and Barry John Keane (who all also came off the bench against Tyrone)
It all means there are only four changes in total from the team that started against Donegal in last year’s final: Brian Kelly started in goal that day, while Brendan Kealy has taken the number one jersey this summer; Ó Sé also started, as did Murphy, while Donaghy featured in the full forward line that was without the then injured Cooper.
Donaghy has spoken about his role on Sunday, and that whether he started or not, it was all about the performance: “We’ve talked about it,” he said, “and I know I’m in a different place compared to last year, going into the final, having played relatively well in the two Mayo games. Coming on in the drawn game, and finishing the full whatever it was, 90 minutes, in the replay. So it’s a different buildup and there is added pressure to try and cement my place, try to hold on to that jersey. But I’ve always prided myself on how I have done in pressure situations, and just working hard on my own performance, to help the team.”
KERRY (SF v Dublin): 1. Brendan Kealy; 2. Fionn Fitzgerald, 3. Aidan O'Mahony; 4. Shane Enright, 5. Jonathan Lyne, 6. Peter Crowley, 7. Killian Young; 8. Anthony Maher, 9. David Moran (C); 10. Stephen O'Brien, 11. Johnny Buckley, 12. Donnchadh Walsh; 13. Colm Cooper, 14. Paul Geaney, 15. James O'Donoghue.
Subs: 16. Brian Kelly 17. Kieran Donaghy 18. Marc Ó Sé
19. Paul Murphy 20. Bryan Sheehan 21. Barry John Keane 22. Darran O’Sullivan 23. Paul Galvin 24. Tommy Walsh 25. Pa Kilkenny 26. Alan Fitzgerald.
