LAST UPDATE | Nov 7th 2020, 1:30 PM
AHEAD OF HIS first championship game at the helm, Dessie Farrell has named his Dublin side to face Westmeath and open their six-in-a-row bid in Portlaoise this evening [throw-in 6.15pm, live on Sky Sports Mix].
Several players come as newcomers to starting in the business end of the season, with Cian Murphy making his senior championship debut at corner back. The Thomas Davis defender won an All-Ireland U21 title under Farrell in 2017.
After some excellent league form and exploits at club level with county champions Ballymun Kickhams, Paddy Small starts at corner forward, and likewise, Robbie McDaid is named in the half-back line.
The side shows two changes from the starting team that beat Galway last time out, Jonny Cooper and Niall Scully both start, with Eoin Murchan and Brian Howard dropping to the bench.
Elsewhere, Peter Keane will hand a first championship start to Ronan Buckley in tomorrow’s Munster SFC semi-final clash against Cork.
The Listry clubman will start at wing-forward at Pairc Ui Chaoimh in a side that sees just one change from the XV that saw off Donegal in the league last time out.
Stephen O’Brien comes in on the other wing in place of Micheal Burns.
In all, the side includes 10 of the outfit that ultimately lost an All-Ireland SFC replay to Dublin.
It’s a first championship start for Tony Brosnan, four years after his debut in an All-Ireland quarter-final against Clare.
Peter Crowley, Gavin White and Dara Moynihan are the other three to come into the championship selection. White and Moynihan came on against Dublin in the title decider last year while Crowley missed the championship with a cruciate injury.
DUBLIN team to face Westmeath
1. Stephen Cluxton (Parnells)
2. Cian Murphy (Thomas Davis)
3. David Byrne (Naomh Olaf)
4. Michael Fitzsimons (Cuala)
5. John Small (Ballymun Kickhams)
6. Johnny Cooper (Na Fianna)
7. Robert McDaid (Ballyboden St Endas)
8. Brian Fenton (Raheny)
9. James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams)
10. Eric Lowndes (St Peregrines)
11. Ciarán Kilkenny (Castleknock)
12. Niall Scully (Templeogue Synge Street)
13. Paddy Small (Ballymun Kickhams)
14. Con O’Callaghan (Cuala)
15. Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams)
Here is the Dublin Senior Football team to face Westmeath this evening in the Leinster Quarter Final#UpTheDubs pic.twitter.com/If5lvhrMJc
— Dublin GAA (@DubGAAOfficial) November 7, 2020
Team Announcement: Kerry vs Cork - Munster Senior Football Championshiphttps://t.co/uxdWUGKzqS pic.twitter.com/hI0fTm2OPt
— Kerry GAA (@Kerry_Official) November 6, 2020
KERRY XV to play Cork: S Ryan, J Foley, T Morley, T O’Sullivan P Murphy, P Crowley, G White D Moran, D O’Connor S O’Brien, S O’Shea, R Buckley T Brosnan, D Clifford, D Moynihan.
Subscribe to The42′s new member-led GAA Championship show with Marc Ó Sé and Shane Dowling.