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GAA

17th Mar 2017

Kerry receive huge blow ahead of crunch Dublin tie

This is not what they needed

Ben Kiely

For Kerry GAA fans, St Patrick’s Day was a real mixed bag.

It started out fantastically with Dr Crokes besting Slaughneil in Croke Park by 1-09 to 1-07 to win the All-Ireland Club Championship. The result saw the Kerry side win their first All-Ireland in 25 years, and it also saw Colm Cooper add that elusive Andy Merrigan Cup to his impressive collection.

However, the intercounty side have a very important clash against Dublin in Austin Stack Park this Saturday. The Kingdom will be looking to defend the 34-in-a-row record set in 1933, with Dublin just one win away from equaling it.

They must try and do so without James O’Donoghue. The 26-year-old was officially ruled out of the Allianz Football League match with injury on Wednesday evening.

His place in the half-forward line will be taken by Paul Murphy, who will be replaced in defence by Mark Griffin. The other change for the Kingdom is Adrian Spillane replacing Barry John Keane.

Check out the teams in full below.

Kerry: Brendan Kealy; Shane Enright, Mark Griffin, Ronan Shanahan; Peter Crowley (Capt), Tadhg Morley, Killian Young; David Moran, Jack Barry; Adrian Spillane, Paul Murphy, Donnchadh Walsh; Kevin McCarthy, Paul Geaney, Jack Savage

Subs: Brian Kelly, Barry John Keane, Jonathan Lyne, Anthony Maher, Stephen O’Brien, Darran O’Sullivan, Michael Geaney, Bryan Sheehan, Cathal Ó Lúing, Denis Daly, Gavin Crowley, Conor Keane

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