We will be following this one closely on Sunday afternoon to see if the same team named tonight lines out unchanged on Sunday.
Eamon Fitzmaurice has made three personnel changes to the Kerry team that easily saw off Galway in the All-Ireland quarter final.
Killian Young comes in to the full back line in place of Fionn Fitzgerald while Stephen O’Brien starts as half forward in place of the injured Donnchadh Walsh.
The big call arrives in The Kingdom’s midfield and sees Jack Barry dropped to the bench in favour of Duagh clubman Anthony Maher.
Mayo also announced their team, with Lee Keegan returning to the starting line-up. That means the men from the west will go into the semi final with Seamus O’Shea and Tom Parsons in midfield.
O’Shea, Parsons, Kerry’s David Moran and the recalled Maher are all either 30 or a year either side. There was a frame of thought that Fitzmaurice would stick with Barry for the last four clash and attempt to run the Mayo midfield ragged.
Earlier in the year, Kerry legend Tomás O Sé spoke in glowing terms about Barry. He told The GAA Hour:
“The one thing a lot of people would have said was that Kerry were missing that bit of pace around the middle third… but, definitely, Jack Barry is a guy who can add a bit of pace and a bit of divilment around midfield for Kerry this summer.
“I’ve no doubt that he’ll get a good run this year if he stays injury free. It will be a tough decision in terms of Jack, David Moran and Anthony Maher and Jason Foley and Tom Sullivan coming in from the Under 21s. You know, I think Kerry will improve.”
Maher’s experience appears to have won out over Barry’s raw potential and pace but we will wait and see if there are any late changes to either team. Fans of The Kingdom are sure to debate the midfield call al the way up to Croke Park on Sunday afternoon.
Elsewhere, Bryan Sheehan and Gavin Crowley come into Kerry’s match-day panel and are included in the substitutes.
KERRY
Brian Kelly (Killarney Legion)
Shane Enright (Tarbert)
Mark Griffin (St Michaels-Foilmore)
Killian Young (Renard)
Peter Crowley (Laune Rangers)
Tadhg Morley (Templenoe)
Paul Murphy (Rathmore)
David Moran (Kerins O’Rahillys)
Anthony Maher (Duagh)
Michael Geaney (Dingle)
Johnny Buckley (Dr Crokes) (C)
Stephen O’Brien (Kenmare Shamrocks)
Paul Geaney (Dingle)
Kieran Donaghy (Austin Stacks)
James O’Donoghue (Killarney Legion)
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