Limerick to blood trio against Kerry

Limerick manager Liam Kearns introduces three newcomers for Sunday's Munster football semi-final against All-Ireland champions…

Limerick manager Liam Kearns introduces three newcomers for Sunday's Munster football semi-final against All-Ireland champions Kerry at the Gaelic Grounds. The starting line-up also includes the county's two dual players, Stephen Lucey, at centre back, and Conor Fitzgerald, at right corner forward.

Jason Stokes is back for the county for the first time in nine months having recovered from long-term injury and he starts at centrefield, partnering the long-serving John Quane. The knock-on effect sees John Galvin switch to full forward from the middle.

The three debutants are wing back Pádraig Browne, corner forward Seánie Buckley and Michael Crowley at right wing forward. The last named is a son of former Kerry All-Ireland winner DJ Crowley, who scored a celebrated goal to clinch the 1970 final against Meath.

Stephen Kelly is named on the other wing after an interrupted League campaign that saw him try his hand at rugby.

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Kearns's selection shows three changes from the side that lost that replay 11 months ago. Mark O'Riordan and Michael O'Brien give way to Browne and Crowley with the injured Eoin Keating replaced by Buckley.

Meanwhile, Wexford show two changes for the weekend's Leinster semi-final clash with Dublin at Croke Park. Darragh Breen is replaced at wing back by Kieran Kennedy, who makes his first championship start but who did make a couple of appearances as a replacement in last year's campaign.

Diarmuid Kinsella, who had exam commitments in the lead-up to the first-round win over Carlow, returns in place of Darren Foran, who is incapacitated by a back injury.

Team captain John Hudson, despite his thigh injury, is named on the bench.

Roscommon manager Val Daly has made two changes to the team that struggled to get over London in the Connacht first round. Michael Finneran loses out at centrefield to Brian Higgins while Nigel Dineen, full forward the last day, is indirectly replaced by corner back Seán McDermott.

John Rogers goes to wing back with Francie Grehan moving to centre forward.

Kildare have made two changes to the side that dethroned Leinster champions Westmeath for the weekend's semi-final against Laois. Pádraig Mullarkey hasn't recovered from a collarbone injury and his place at full back is taken by veteran defender Anthony Rainbow, who moves in from corner back.

James Lonergan, very impressive against Westmeath, switches corners to replace Rainbow and Andrew McLoughlin comes in at left corner back.

Cavan make a number of switches for the Ulster semi-final with Tyrone, but the same personnel will start. Pauric Reilly, who started the two matches against Antrim at full forward, now lines out at wing back with Martin Cahill moving in the other direction to wing forward.

Nicholas Walsh drops back to centrefield from centre forward and Mark McKeever takes over on the 40. Dermot McCabe moves up to full forward from centrefield

WEXFORD (SF v Dublin): J Cooper; C Morris, P Wallace, N Murphy; P Curtis, D Murphy, K Kennedy; N Lambert, D Fogarty; R Barry, D Kinsella; S Cullen, PJ Banville, P Colfer, M Forde.

ROSCOMMON (SF v Mayo): S Curran; B McNeela, J Whyte, S McDermott; M Ryan, D Casey, J Rogers; S O'Neill, B Higgins; K Mannion, F Grehan, E Kenny; G Cox, S Lohan, G Heneghan.

LIMERICK (SF v Kerry): S O'Donnell; T Stack, J McCarthy, S Lavin; P Browne, S Lucey, C Mullane; J Quane, J Stokes; M Crowley, M Gavin, S Kelly; C Fitzgerald, J Galvin, S Buckley.

KILDARE (SF v Laois): E Murphy; J Lonergan, A Rainbow, A McLoughlin; M Wright, G Ryan, K Ennis; K Brennan, M Foley; D McCormack, D Earley, R Sweeney; T Fennin, R Glavin, J Doyle.

CAVAN (SF v Tyrone): James Reilly; M Hannon, D Rabbitt, K Fannin; P Brady, Peter Reilly, Pauric Reilly; P McKenna, N Walsh; M Cahill, M McKeever, F O'Reilly; Jason Reilly, D McCabe, L Reilly.

WATERFORD (SF v Louth): T Wall; P Ogle, E Walsh, R Hennessey; A Heffernan, M Ahern, T Costelloe; A Hubbard, K O'Keeffe; S Cunningham, S Briggs, L O Lionain; N Curran, G Hurney, S Walsh.

Seán Moran

Seán Moran

Seán Moran is GAA Correspondent of The Irish Times