Sean Burke, whose career at one stage was thought to be over because of a head injury, makes his return to Kerry's team on Sunday for the first time in this year's championship. The Milltown/Castlemaine defender is selected at left corner back for the All-Ireland football semi-final against Cavan at Croke Park and replaces the team's injured captain, Mike Hassett.

Kerry make two changes for the match. Missing from the team that defeated Clare in last month's Munster final are Hassett and the other corner back Killian Burns, who is unwell. Stephen Stack replaces Hassett and Burke comes in for Burns. John Crowley, who came on against Tipperary in the provincial semi-final, was not considered because of injury.

Burke has not played for the county since sustaining an injury in last year's All-Ireland semi-final against Mayo. He played at centre back last year in what was a somewhat controversial line-out, with Mike Hassett playing out of position at full back. Burke had previously played on the edge of the square, where his strength made him a formidable presence.

Kerry's Munster rivals, Cork have re-appointed Larry Tompkins as manager for another two years. His management team will not be known until after the county championship, when the new champions will be nominating one of Tompkins's two selectors. The other will be chosen by the county executive. Tompkins expressed himself happy with the decision.

"I think it's suitable to have three selectors rather than any more and it's been almost in the county's blood to have the county champions' representative as a selector. I don't think there's a need for any more. As well as the selectors, we have Conor Counihan as assistant coach and I find that the more opinions you have, sometimes the more awkward it becomes."

Tompkins believes that Sunday's match will be close but favours Kerry to win in the end.

"I think it will be tight, as both teams are relatively new to the scene and the bulk of both sides will have played each other in last year's under-21 All-Ireland. I have a slight preference for Kerry. They're experienced and that will stand to them. Cavan, no matter what they say, prepared this year to win the Ulster title. It was a big thing for them to win and it's going to be hard for them to refocus.

"Kerry were in the same boat last year and will be better prepared mentally and physically."

Meanwhile, Tompkins's predecessor as Cork manager, Billy Morgan has also been interviewed for the Wicklow post. Morgan is one of a number of people who have been interviewed to succeed Dave Foran as the team manager.

Foran was dropped after Wicklow exited the Leinster championship with a disappointing defeat by Offaly, who have since won the provincial title.

Former Wicklow team manager, Niall Rennick, is also in contention for the post. Rennick, a former Meath footballer, previously managed the Wicklow senior football team in the early 1990s and took them to an All-Ireland B title in 1992.

Others who have been interviewed are former county chairman, Bobby Dignam, and Peter O'Neill, Eire Og, who previously managed county, minor and under-21 teams.

A recommendation will be put before the next county board meeting in early September by the selection committee after it has interviewed a number of other candidates next week, including John O'Leary, the former Dublin goalkeeper.

The Limerick hurling team for Sunday's National League semi-final against Kilkenny will not be named until today. The team will be without a number of players through injury and unavailability. Mike Houlihan is already ruled out and there are doubts surrounding Gary Kirby's participation. Some members of the panel are in the United States.

On a more positive note, both of the Moran brothers, Ollie and James, are back in contention after injury.