Fri, 12 Jun, 2026 - 10:22

Flanagan names Kildare team for Kerry clash

There are three changes to the Kildare team as Shane Farrell comes in for his first appearance almost two years to the day since his last and Jack Robinson makes his first start of the season

Ger McNally

Brian Flanagan has made three changes to his line-up as Kildare prepare to take on Kerry in Cedral St Conleth’s Park on Saturday at 5.30pm in Round 2B of the All-Ireland Championship.

It’s knockout football now for the clash between last year’s Tailteann Cup winners and the All-Ireland champions and by full-time on Saturday evening one of the teams will have kicked a ball in anger for the last time this year.

After being an unused substitute against Galway last time out on his return to the matchday squad, Shane Farrell comes back into the Kildare team for the first time since his last appearance against Laois, almost two years to the day since he last played for his county. He is named at wing forward in place of Brian McLoughlin.

At centre back, Athy’s Padraic Spillane comes in for his Championship start in place of the injured Eoin Lawlor. In his first year senior football, Spillane started all seven Division 2 National League games at full back but picked up an injury in the final game against Louth and has been missing since, apart from an appearance for extra-time during the Leinster semi-final defeat to Westmeath.

The other change sees Jack Robinson come in for his first start of the season in place of Eoin Cully at corner forward. The Clogherinkoe man has endured an injury-hit season but has made some sparkling cameos off the bench that have teased what he could be capable of when fully fit and he finally gets a chance to show what he can do from the start.

On the bench, there are further notable returns for some long term absentees. Ryan Sinkey, who made such an impression during his first year of senior football in 2025, returns to the squad. An appearance off the bench at half-time in the opening National League game of the season away to Tyrone is the sum total of the 21-year-old Naas man’s competitive football this season and he is another who has gone through a frustrating campaign.

Nurney’s Cathal Hagney appeared in all seven of Kildare’s Division 3 games last year and went on to start in the final against Offaly at Croke Park and play in both Kildare’s Leinster Championship games that year. However, he suffered an ACL injury shortly after the defeat to Louth in the Leinster Championship semi-final and he makes a welcome return to the squad after over a year out.

Elsewhere in the team, Eoin Sheehan retains his place between the posts and Alex Beirne and Colm Dalton are named after returning to the starting line-up against Galway.

One of the full back line of Ryan Burke, Mark Dempsey and Harry O’Neill are likely to be handed one of the toughest jobs in football in marking David Clifford.

On the bench, Liam Kelly, Rob Fitzgerald and Niall Dolan would hope for a first taste of Championship action among some more experienced options.

Sarsfields duo Callum Bolton and Ben McCormack are not included in the squad but they are on the standby list along with Sam Doran and Jack McKevitt.

Former Kildare manager Jack O’Connor has named a strong looking Kerry team including both Clifford brothers. Brian Ó Beaglaioch and Joe O’Connor are back in their starting line-up, and Tony Brosnan has also been named to start. They are further boosted by the return of Gavin White, Paul Murphy and captain Paul Geaney to their substitute’s bench but they remain without Seán O’Shea, Tom O’Sullivan and goalkeeper Shane Ryan.

A full preview of the game is available here.

Kildare team to face Kerry:

1. Eoin Sheehan (Johnstownbridge)

2. Ryan Burke (Caragh)

3. Mark Dempsey (Moorefield)

4. Harry O'Neill (Clane)

5. James McGrath (Athy)

6. Padraic Spillane (Athy)

7. Brian Byrne (Naas)

8. Kevin Feely (Athy)

9. Brendan Gibbons (Kilcock)

10. Shane Farrell (Kilcock)