Colm Cooper starts for Kerry but James O'Donoghue is on the bench
Friday 12 June 2015 12:57, UK
Colm Cooper will make his long-awaited return to the All-Ireland football championship on Sunday after being named in the Kerry team to face Tipperary in Thurles.
The 32-year-old Dr Crokes player has not featured for the Kingdom in the Championship since Kerry's All-Ireland semi-final defeat by Dublin in 2013.
Cooper missed Kerry's All-Ireland-winning campaign last season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament and fracturing his knee while playing for Dr Crokes in February 2014.
Kingdom manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice has rung the changes from the side that lifted the Sam Maguire with victory over Donegal last September as only seven starters retain their places.
Those survivors are Marc Ó Sé, Peter Crowley, Killian Young, Anthony Maher, Johnny Buckley, Paul Geaney and Kieran Donaghy, who captains the side.
Brendan Kealy comes in to goal while Mark Griffin, Shane Enright and Jonathan Lyne are the new additions in defence.
Bryan Sheehan is selected at midfield and the trio of Michael Geaney, Colm Cooper and Barry John Keane are named in attack.
Last season’s player of the year James O’Donoghue has to be content with a place on the bench. The Killarney man’s preseason preparations were derailed when he underwent surgery in November to repair a dislocated shoulder.
A formidable looking Kerry bench also contains players like Aidan O’Mahony, Tommy Walsh, Fionn Fitzgerald, Darran O’Sullivan and Donnchadh Walsh.
Paul Murphy, David Moran, Paul Galvin and Kieran O’Leary are all ruled out through injury.
Kerry: 1. Brendan Kealy, 2. Marc Ó Sé, 3. Mark Griffin, 4. Shane Enright, 5. Jonathan Lyne, 6. Peter Crowley, 7. Killian Young, 8. Anthony Maher, 9. Bryan Sheehan, 10. Michael Geaney, 11. Colm Cooper, 12. Johnny Buckley, 13. Paul Geaney, 14. Kieran Donaghy (C), 15. Barry John Keane
Subs: 16. Brian Kelly, 17. James O’Donoghue, 18. Stephen O’Brien, 19. Aidan O’Mahony, 20. Darran O’Sullivan, 21. Fionn Fitzgerald, 22. Tommy Walsh, 23. Alan Fitzgerald, 24. Donnchadh Walsh, 25. Jack Sherwood, 26. Pa Kilkenny
