Sean O’Shea, Tom O’Sullivan and Joe O’Connor are among the high profile absentees as Kerry have named their starting team for Sunday’s Munster SFC final against Cork.
Kerry were missing a host of players for the eight-point win over Clare, all bar one of whom have failed to recover in time to be included in the squad for the provincial decider in Killarney.
O’Shea, O’Connor, as well as Brian Ó Beaglaíoch, Paul Murphy, Graham O’Sullivan and goalkeeper Shane Ryan missed the Ennis semi-final and are omitted from the panel for Sunday.
Tom O’Sullivan, who did feature against Clare but was withdrawn injured early in the second half, is ruled out for the Munster decider.
The Páidí Ó Sé Cup will be presented to the winners of the Munster SFC final on Sunday, reports @MartyMofficial #RTEGAA pic.twitter.com/iQyz81Ie8p
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) May 7, 2026
His club-mate Dylan Geaney has recovered sufficiently to be included among the subs.
Evan Looney comes in at corner back for the injured O’Sullivan, while Jack O’Connor has made one other change from the Clare game, with Sean O’Brien starting at midfield, with Diarmuid O’Connor named at wing-forward while Cillian Trant is named on the bench.
Kerry, who are seeking their 15th Munster title in 17 years, have not lost to Cork in Fitzgerald Stadium since the 1995 Munster final.
Kerry: Shane Murphy; Evan Looney, Jason Foley, Dylan Casey; Tadhg Morley, Mike Breen, Armin Heinrich; Mark O’Shea, Sean O’Brien; Micheál Burns, Paudie Clifford, Diarmuid O’Connor; David Clifford, Paul Geaney, Keith Evans.
Subs: Seán Broderick, Tony Brosnan, Cillian Trant, Killian Spillane, Eddie Healy, Gavin White, Dylan Geaney, Tomás Kennedy, Donagh O’Sullivan, Joey Nagle, Ciarán Collins.
The Cork team shows two changes from the side who overcame Limerick, as Ben O’Connor names his side for their trip to Walsh Park to face Waterford.
Both changes are enforced due to the injuries incurred by Ciaran Joyce and Rob Downey, the former being ruled out for the season with an ACL injury.
Damien Cahalane, who replaced Joyce at full-back five minutes into the game against Limerick, starts in the No. 3 berth.
Diarmuid Healy is included for Cork
In replacing his centre-back Downey, O’Connor has rejigged things slightly, with Eoin Downey moving to centre-back and Tommy O’Connell being relocated to wing-back.
Darragh Fitzgibbon fills O’Connell’s spot in midfield, with Diarmuid Healy coming in as the other personnel change, named at wing-forward.
Waterford, meanwhile, have made two changes to their starting XV, with Kevin Mahony, who rescued them with a late goal against Tipperary, starting at corner-forward.
Mahony’s goal deep in injury-time secured a draw against Tipp, which essentially salvaged Waterford’s chances of emerging from the province. Mahony replaced Shane Bennett on the half hour mark in Round 2 and starts in his place this time around.
Elsewhere, Peter Queally makes one other change in personnel, with Sean Mackey replacing Darragh Lyons at midfield.
Waterford beat Cork the last time the Rebels travelled to Walsh Park in the championship and the hosts realistically need a victory to keep their hopes of progression alive.
Waterford: Billy Nolan; Ian Kenny, Mark Fitzgerald, Aaron O’Neill; Jack Fagan, Iarlaith Daly, Calum Lyons; Paddy Leavey, Sean Mackey; Jack Prendergast, Stephen Bennett, Jamie Barron; Dessie Hutchinson, Sean Walsh, Kevin Mahony.
Subs: Alex Reade, Conor Keane, Tadhg de Burca, Darragh Lyons, Austin Gleeson, Shane Bennett, Mikey Kiely, Peter Hogan, Patrick Curran, Reuben Halloran, Seamus Fitzgerald.
Cork: Patrick Collins; Niall O’Leary, Damien Cahalane, Sean O’Donoghue; Tommy O’Connell, Eoin Downey, Mark Coleman; Tim O’Mahony, Darragh Fitzgibbon; Diarmuid Healy, Shane Barrett, Barry Walsh; Alan Connolly, William Buckley, Brian Hayes.
Subs: Paudie O’Sullivan, Ger Millerick, Cormac O’Brien, Ethan Twomey, Brian O’Sullivan, Robbie O’Flynn, Hugh O’Connor, Shane Kingston, Séamus Harnedy, Pádraig Power, Alan Walsh.