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Jack O'Connor names just five of Kerry’s All-Ireland-winning side for League opener with Donegal

Jack O'Connor won't have his full strength Kerry side for the early rounds of the league. Image: Sportsfile. Expand

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Jack O'Connor won't have his full strength Kerry side for the early rounds of the league. Image: Sportsfile.

Jack O'Connor won't have his full strength Kerry side for the early rounds of the league. Image: Sportsfile.

Jack O'Connor won't have his full strength Kerry side for the early rounds of the league. Image: Sportsfile.

Michael Verney

It's all change for Kerry with manager Jack O'Connor naming just five of last year's All-Ireland final starting 15 for their Division One League opener against Donegal in Ballybofey on Sunday.

O'Connor has a weakened deck to pick from with the Clifford brothers, David and Paudie, taking a well-earned break after their All-Ireland junior club final success with Fossa while veteran midfielder David Moran retired earlier this week.

The same full-back line that started last year's decider is still in place with Graham O'Sullivan, Jason Foley and Tom O'Sullivan in situ while Tadhg Morley skippers the side from centre-back and Jack Barry starts at midfield.

There are plenty of chances thrown out by O'Connor with Shane Murphy getting the nod between the posts in the absence of All-Star Shane Ryan while Paul Murphy, fresh from All-Ireland intermediate glory with Rathmore, and Mike Breen fill the wing-back slots.

Barry O'Sullivan completes the midfield pairing but the real changes are up front with Seán O'Shea a noticeable absentee as a fresh half-forward line is made up by Micheál Burns, Dara Moynihan and Adrian Spillane.

Tony Brosnan, Darragh Roche and Killian Spillane fill the inside berths and get a chance to impress but O'Connor's inexperienced side, and a threadbare bench, bares little comparison to the team which romped to League honours last season before claiming Munster and All-Ireland crowns.

That new-look selection is likely to give Paddy Carr's Donegal side - playing their first high-profile tie since the retirement of the mercurial Michael Murphy - plenty of hope of victory on home soil.

KERRY (SF v Donegal): S Murphy; G O'Sullivan, J Foley, T O'Sullivan, M Breen, T Morley, P Murphy; J Barry, B O'Sullivan; M Burns, D Moynihan, A Spillane; T Brosnan, D Roche, K Spillane.

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