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Jason Diggins surprisingly returns to the bench as Kerry name side to face Offaly

Diggins’ Causeway team mate Brandon Barrett returns to the match-day 26 following his recent injury set-back

Jason Diggins of Kerry Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Damian StackKerryman

Kerry senior hurling manager Stephen Molumphy in his team announcement for Saturday’s National League semi-final with Offaly has somewhat surprisingly returned Causeway star Jason Diggins to the bench following the half-back’s impressive turn against Down last weekend.

Crotta O’Neills’ Cilliant Trant returns to the starting fifteen in his stead as the management team announces the exact same starting fifteen as last week – Diggins’ inclusion was announced before throw in against the Mourne men – which might lead one to imagine there could be further alterations to the side before the Division 2A semi-final in Tullamore (2pm).

Two players who went off injured against Down in Austin Stack Park – St Brendans’ duo Dáithí Griffin and Fionán Mackessy – meanwhile, are named to start, while players who impressed off the bench in their stead such as Jordan Conway and Dan Goggin, who scored 1-5 between them, remain amongst the replacements.

The return to the match-day 26 of Causeway’s Brandon Barrett – who takes the place of Dr Crokes’ Conor O’Hare, a recent transfer from Portumna in Galway – following a recent injury is a cause for encouragement for the green and gold ahead of what’s sure to be a tough test away to the Faithful.

Kerry team (v Offaly)

1. John B O’Halloran (Kilmoylety)

2. Cillian Trant (Crotta O’Neills)

3. Eric Leen (St Brendans)

4. Eoin Ross (Ballyduff)

5. Evan Murphy (Causeway)

6. Mikey Boyle (Ballyduff)

7. Paudie O’Connor (Kilmoyley)

8. Daniel Collins (Kilmoyley)

9. Gavin Dooley (Causeway)

10. Kyle O’Connor (Ballyduff)

11. Fionán MacKessy (St Brendans)

12. Michael Leane (Ballyheigue)

13. Shane Conway (Lixnaw)

14. Dáithí Griffin (St Brendans)

15. Pádraig Boyle (Ballyduff)

Subs

16. (GK) Louis Dee (Mungret)

17. Seán Weir (Crotta O’Neills)

18. Tadhg Brick (Tralee Parnells)

19. Jason Diggins (Causeway)

20. Darragh Shanahan (Lixnaw)

21. Keith Carmody (Causeway)

22. Niall Mulcahy (Mungret)

23. Dan Goggin (Causeway)

24. Philip Lucid (Ballyheigue)

25. Jordan Conway (Crotta O’Neills)

26. Brandon Barrett (Causeway)