Team News: Donegal make one change to their starting XV to face Kerry

Donegal have one change to their starting XV for their upcoming clash with Kerry this Sunday in the All-Ireland series in Ballybofey, with Tara White coming in for Niamh Carr in midfield. 

John McNulty’s side lost their Ulster crown last month but gave a fine account of themselves in the Ulster Final against Armagh, narrowly losing out on a 0-17 to 1-13 scoreline after two periods of extra time in the Monaghan sunshine 

Now, they face high-class opposition once again in the form of Kerry, the beaten 2022 and 2023 TG4 All-Ireland Senior champions and recently crowned Munster queens. 

In doing so, Kerry won the Munster championship for the first time since 2017, after a magnificent second-half performance that saw them flip a three-point half-time deficit into an eight-point winning margin over Cork, on a 2-15 to 0-13 point scoreline. 

Now entering the All-Ireland series and making a long journey to MacCumhaill Park this weekend, the Kingdom has made three changes in personnel, with goalkeeper Ciara Butler, defender Aoife Dillane, and ace forward Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh, who made a big impact off the bench in the Munster final, coming into the starting XV. 

This means goalkeeper Mary Ellen Bolger, Eilís O’Connor, and Katie Brosnan drop to the bench. 

Donegal: Claire Friel; Shannon McLaughlin, Abigail Temple Asoko, Evelyn McGinley; Katie Dowds, Niamh Boyle, Tara Hegarty; Roisin Rodgers, Tara White; Caoimhe Keon, Niamh McLaughlin, Amy Boyle Carr; Susanne White, Katy Herron, Katie Long. 

Kerry: Ciara Butler; Eilis Lynch, Kayleigh Cronin, Ciara Murphy; Aishling O’Connell, Deirdre Kearney, Aoife Dillane; Mary O’Connell, Anna Galvin; Niamh Carmody, Niamh Ní Chonchúir, Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh; Emma Dineen, Danielle O’Leary, Lorraine Scanlon.