All-Ireland Final countdown: Intriguing tweak to Kerry team for final
Kerry Manger Jack O'Connor and David Clifford celebrate their quarter-final win against Tyrone. Clifford will not wear his familiar number 13 jersey but instead has been selected at 14 instead for Sunday's All-Ireland SFC Final against Mayo. Picture: INPHO/Bryan Keane
No place has been found in the Kerry team for captain Paul Geaney, as manager Jack O’Connor has decided to name an unchanged team for Sunday’s All-Ireland SFC Final against Mayo.
35-year-old Geaney is instead named among a formidable list of substitutes that also includes All-Stars Tom O’Sullivan, Tadgh Morley, Brian Ó Beaglaoich and goalkeeper Shane Ryan.
O’Connor, however, has tinkered a little with his formation, with Paudie Clifford, a familiar presence at centre-forward, wearing 13 on this occasion and Seán O’Shea taking the 11 jersey.
And there’s a sense that the superstitious Kingdom are prepared to leave nothing to chance as their on-field captain for the day, David Clifford, will wear number 14 on account of the fact that no Kerry team whose captain has worn the 13 jersey has ever won the All-Ireland Final.
And for any Mayo supporter wondering if there could yet be any late changes to the Kerry selection, it’s worth noting than in his eight previous All-Ireland finals as manager, Jack O’Connor has never made a late change to the side originally selected.
Kerry (v Mayo): Shane Murphy; Paul Murphy, Jason Foley, Dylan Casey; Graham O'Sullivan, Mike Breen, Gavin White; Mark O'Shea, Sean O’Brien; Joe O’Connor, Seán O'Shea, Diarmuid O’Connor; Paudie Clifford, David Clifford, Dylan Geaney.
