Mayo team announced for All-Ireland Championship opener
Mayo senior football team manager Kevin McStay has made three changes to his team from that which was defeated by Roscommon in the Connacht GAA quarterfinal for their opening game in the All-Ireland Championship against Kerry.
The Group 1 game in the race for the Sam Maguire will be played tomorrow (Saturday) in Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney, throwing in at 3 p.m.
David McBrien returns to the Mayo starting 15 and will make his championship debut at full-back after recovering from an injury that kept him out of the Connacht quarterfinal. McBrien replaces Eoghan McLoughlin in the Mayo defence.
Sam Callinan, at corner-back, will also make his championship debut, getting the nod on this occasion ahead of Donnacha McHugh.
James Carr is also back to full fitness and is named ahead of vice-captain Tommy Conroy in the Mayo full-forward line.
The rock-solid Colm Reape continues in goal, with McBrien and Callinan now partnered by the tigerish Jack Coyne in the Mayo full-back line.
Captain Paddy Durcan, Conor Loftus and the ever-reliable Stephen Coen are listed to start in the Mayo half-back line.
Coen will make his 100th appearance for Mayo on Saturday between league and championship, having made his debut against Kerry on February 1, 2015, in the Allianz National Football League.
Matthew Ruane and Diarmuid O'Connor will anchor the Mayo midfield once again, with a familiar look to the Mayo front sextet.
Fionn McDonagh, Jack Carney and Jordan Flynn were regulars and all impressed during the Allianz National Football League, with Aidan O'Shea, James Carr and Ryan O'Donoghue named to start in the Mayo full-forward line.
For O'Shea, it will be an 80th championship appearance on Saturday. The Breaffy club man is now ninth on the all-time list behind Stephen Cluxton on 113, with Andy Moran the only Mayo player ahead of him on 84 championship appearances.
Mayo were defeated by Kerry in last year's All-Ireland quarterfinal on a scoreline of 1-18 to 0-13 at Croke Park.
However, they got revenge in round three of the NFL this year when they defeated the Kingdom in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park by 2-14 to 1-10.
Jack O'Connor has managed Kerry to victory in all five championship games against Mayo during his three terms as Kerry manager (2004, 2005, 2006, 2011 and 2022).
Sean Hurson from Tyrone is down to officiate at the game. Mayo GAA will have live updates across all social media, and the game will be broadcast live on Midwest radio with Michael D. McAndrew and Martin Carney. The game this weekend is live on GAAGO. Tickets can be purchased here.
The Mayo team in full is: Colm Reape; Jack Coyne, David McBrien, Sam Callinan; Paddy Durcan, Conor Loftus, Stephen Coen; Matthew Ruane, Diarmuid O'Connor; Fionn McDonagh, Jack Carney, Jordan Flynn; Aidan O'Shea, James Carr, Ryan O'Donoghue.
On the subs' bench are: Rory Byrne, Tommy Conroy, Jason Doherty, Enda Hession, Donnacha McHugh, Darren McHale, Eoghan McLaughlin, Padraig O'Hora, Paul Towey, Bob Tuohy.