Veteran Tom Kelly is available for the first time to manager,Seán Dempsey after receiving the all clear to return to full action following a cruciate ligament injury last October.

Kelly, a member of the 2003 Leinster-winning team, will have to battle it out with the new half-back trio of Darren Rooney, Ger Reddin and John O’Loughlin, all of whom impressed in the opening day defeat of Louth.

Long-term injury victims, Pádraig McMahon and Joe Higgins are again expected to miss out

McMahon has been missing since breaking his arm in May while former All Star Higgins is struggling to shake off a hip complaint.

KEVIN O’Neill and Mickey Conway are back in contention for places in the Kildare defence ahead of their Leinster semi-final showdown with Kildare after resuming full training with Kieran McGeeney’s Lilywhite squad.

O’Neill has been absent from the team since breaking his collar bone two months ago while a knee injury picked up in Kildare’s Leinster opener against Offaly on May 24 kept Conway out of the reckoning for the quarter-final defeat of Wexford.

Both were thought to have fully recovered in time for that Wexford game but O’Neill and Conway were held back to allow them regain full fitness and both are expected to come into McGeeney’s thoughts when he sits down to pick his team on Thursday evening.

- Herald.ie

Filed under: Laois Football, Inter County, LFC