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Kerry's Gooch and Galvin ready for Cork in the All-Ireland football final

Two of the Kingdom's biggest weapons fit for final against the Leesiders

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Colm Cooper's fitness has handed Kerry a huge boost ahead of Sunday's All-Ireland Final against Cork

Kerry have been handed a massive boost ahead of Sunday’s All-Ireland final derby date with Cork after both Colm “Gooch” Cooper and Paul Galvin were cleared to play after recent injury scares.

Cooper was doubtful with a hip injury, and Galvin has struggled in recent days with a stomach muscle problem, but both players have been passed fit to start Sunday’s big game at Croker.

Giant full-forward Kieran Donaghy, however, will have to be content with a place on the bench as he continues his recovery from a serious foot injury.

“Kieran’s been playing football now for the last couple of weeks and showing pretty good form in training, so we’re happy enough with him. Obviously, it would be great if we had a bit more time,” said Kerry manager Jack O’Connor.

The Kerry camp know they will be in for a fierce battle on Sunday and O’Connor added, “Cork have taken a few points on board from the northern teams, where they’re getting a lot of bodies back and tackling ferociously at times.

“And the key for us is we’re going to have to move the ball very quickly because if you dwell on the ball, these fellas are taking tackling to a new level.”

Cork manager Conor Counihan has no injury worries ahead of the big game. “We have just one or two minor injuries at the minute, Ray Carey and Alan O’Connor are carrying slight knee knocks. Johnny Miskella got a bit of a twinge at training but we expect to select from a full panel,” he said.

Cork’s Anthony Lynch believes his team is well prepared for what promises to be a mouth watering final. “We’d like to think that we are ready for the game and that we have prepared well for it. Hopefully we are and we can see how it goes,” he said.

“We have young players in the team now who have plenty of experience. All of these players have had great success at under-21 level and they have enough All-Ireland titles as well at other grades with Cork. There is plenty of experience there alright and there is not a bother about that really.”

Like the rest of the country, Lynch is looking forward to another Cork-Kerry clash. He added, “They are always very tough encounters between us. It’s never been anything else against Kerry. That’s what we expect the next day as well.

“I suppose we have been looking at this game all year. Every time you play Kerry it’s going to be a tough battle anyway. You expect that, but we like to focus on ourselves as well. We like to think that we are ready for the battle.

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