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GAA: Kerry face Donegal in All-Ireland SFC final for the first time at Croke Park

Patrick McBrearty Donegal Bryan Sheehan Kerry All-Ireland quarter-final 2012
Image: Patrick McBrearty is chased by Bryan Sheehan during Donegal's All-Ireland quarter-final win over Kerry in 2012

Kerry and Donegal will contest the All-Ireland SFC final for the first time at Croke Park on Sunday.

The one previous championship meeting between the counties came in the 2012 quarter-final, when Donegal ran out two-point winners before going on to claim the Sam Maguire Cup.

Donegal manager Jim McGuinness made two changes to his starting line-up for Sunday’s decider.

Christy Toye and Patrick McBrearty replace Rory Kavanagh and David Walsh after making positive impacts from the bench during the semi-final success over Dublin.

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Kerry v Donegal preview

“We find ourselves in the final and we really want to make the most of it,” said McGuinness.

“We want to do ourselves justice, do our county justice and we want to deliver that big performance.”

Kerry manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice has also made two changes from the team that recorded a stunning extra-time win over Mayo.

Stephen O’Brien replaces Michael Geaney in the half-forward line while Marc Ò Sè comes in for Shane Enright at corner-back. Fionn Fitzgerald captains the team.

Just six Kerry players featured in the 2011 All-Ireland final. Ó Sé, Aidan O’Mahony, Killian Young, Anthony Maher, Donnchadh Walsh and Kieran Donaghy all started that harrowing defeat to Dublin.

Kerry: B Kelly; M Ó Sé, A O’Mahony, F Fitzgerald; P Murphy, P Crowley, K Young; A Maher, D Moran; S O’Brien, J Buckley, D Walsh; P Geaney, K Donaghy, J O’Donoghue.

Donegal: P Durcan; E McGee, N McGee, P McGrath; A Thompson, K Lacey, F McGlynn; N Gallagher, O MacNiallais; C Toye, L McLoone, R McHugh; P McBrearty, M Murphy, C McFadden.

Watch the All-Ireland final between Kerry and Donegal live on Sky Sports 3 on Sunday from 2.30pm

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