Nine All-Ireland starters to face Kingdom in NFL opener

Sat, 30th January 2016

Dublin's starting 15 to face Kerry in Saturday night's NFL Division 1 opener in Croke Park (7.0) contains nine of the All-Ireland SFC winning starting team.

Stephen Cluxton, Jonny Cooper, James McCarthy, Cian O'Sullivan, Denis Bastick, Diarmuid Connolly, Ciaran Kilkenny, Paddy Andrews and Dean Rock have all been named to start.

The Dublin halfback line is made up entirely of the Ballymun Kickhams trio of James McCarthy, John Small and Davey Byrne while Mick Fitzsimons, at full-back, is flanked by Jonny Cooper and David Byrne of Nh Olaf.

DUBLIN (SF v Kerry)

Stephen Cluxton (Parnell's)

Jonny Cooper (Na Fianna)

Michael Fitzsimons (Cuala)

David Byrne (Nh Olaf)

James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams)

Johnny Small (Ballymun Kickhams)

Davey Byrne (Ballymun Kickhams)

Cian O'Sullivan (Kilmacud Crokes)

Denis Bastick (Templeogue Synge St)

Tomás Brady (Na Fianna)

Diarmuid Connolly (St Vincent's)