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James O'Donoghue pictured coming off injured in Croke Park last August. Morgan Treacy/INPHO

We could see the 2014 Footballer of the Year back in action in the Munster final

James O’Donoghue has not played for Kerry this year.

KERRY FORWARD JAMES O’Donoghue is on course to make his 2016 inter-county debut in the Munster football final on 3 July.

O’Donoghue last played for Kerry in last September’s All-Ireland final defeat to Dublin.

He then focused on a club championship campaign that culminated with Killarney Legion losing a Kerry senior final replay to South Kerry last November.

O’Donoghue subsequently underwent surgery to rectify a shoulder problem and has been sidelined for the 2016 campaign to date.

But Eamonn Fitzmaurice confirmed last night that O’Donoghue is back in contention for selection.

“James is back, full steam ahead, he’s good. He wasn’t ready for the first (Munster championship) game and he’s played a couple of club games since.

“He’s trained with us and he’s in contention now yeah. This was the plan all along, we were just hoping he’d be a couple of weeks earlier.

“We delighted James is back. Other injuries have cleared up also which has strengthened the squad. We need our full squad if we are going to be winning trophies.”

Alan Fitzgerald has been ruled out with a back injury while Brendan O’Sullivan and Denis Daly continue to be long term absentees.

Otherwise Kerry are picking from a full squad with Aidan O’Mahony having returned from suspension.

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    Mute KSI
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    May 8th 2017, 8:16 PM

    Kick passing is a great skill to see alright. It should be introduced into Gaelic football too.

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    Mute iTechStore.ie
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    May 8th 2017, 11:25 PM

    Cotw right there

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    Mute Conor O Neill
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    May 8th 2017, 4:49 PM

    Easily the best player in the world atm. Scary how good Jordie is too at such a young age.

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    Mute Max Power
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    May 8th 2017, 5:59 PM

    @Conor O Neill: Some of the skills and interplay in the ‘canes attack this season has been unbelievable. Super rugby is operating on another level to northern hemisphere in that regard. Jordie B is as good as Mackenzie at the chiefs but about 4 inches taller.

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    Mute Billy Malone
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    May 8th 2017, 11:29 PM

    @Max Power: That would make MacKenzie 6’1

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    Mute David Lyons
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    May 9th 2017, 10:28 AM

    @Conor O Neill: will likely get his second player of the year in a row if New Zealand beat the Lions, Hansen will be worried Jordie has taken over kicking duties for the Canes though

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    Mute Chris Mcdonnell
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    May 8th 2017, 6:53 PM

    Ross Byrne is pretty good at this too

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    Mute Darren Byrne
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    May 9th 2017, 3:43 PM

    @Chris Mcdonnell: He’s credited with 8 try assists in the pro 12 this year, i think most of them are from cross field kicks, I can think of at least 4 that were.

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    Mute Brian Les
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    May 8th 2017, 8:30 PM

    O’Gara to Shaggy

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    Mute MunsterFan
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    May 8th 2017, 7:46 PM

    I thought we really pioneered it v Saracens a few weeks ago personally…

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    Mute Jerry
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    May 8th 2017, 5:41 PM

    Leyds had an awful game, his positioning and decision making in defence is not up to scratch for that level of rugby, Canes identified this and targeted him all match

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    Mute Buzz Bartholomew
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    May 9th 2017, 8:31 AM

    @Jerry:

    A bit harsh! Like the goalkeeper in football, the winger in rugby often looks at fault for conceding a score when, in fact, the whole defence has been overwhelmed and he’s the last man.

    Leyds wasn’t always defending at 11 anyway. With injuries and personnel changes he was often trying to be in two places at once.

    Besides, he heroically chased and caught Julian Savea over about 70 metres (how many other wings in world rugby could do that?) and his great tackle would have saved the try had his team mate’s powderpuff attempt not been brushed off by Laumape who scored.

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    Mute Pat Noone
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    May 8th 2017, 11:49 PM

    Murray, “unsurprisingly New Zeaiand sides are leading the way”? Barry McGann, Ollie Campbell, Paul Dean, Ronan O’Gara. Pass kickers supreme and there was me thinking they were Irish!

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    Mute Michael
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    May 9th 2017, 10:21 AM

    @Pat Noone: I think he means currently “leading the way”. I’m sure Murray is very well aware of how good those Irish players are.

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    Mute Darren Byrne
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    May 9th 2017, 3:44 PM

    @Pat Noone: Ireland have been using the cross field kick for years, but this new “kick pass” is definitely a New Zealand thing, far superior.

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    Mute Aidan O connor
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    May 8th 2017, 11:14 PM

    Skills pay the bills

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