Seamus `SOS' Dowling has been omitted from the Kildare side for Sunday's Bank of Ireland football final against Galway at Croke Park. Dowling, substituted the last day, loses out to Ken Doyle, who started the semi-final as a replacement for the injured Niall Buckley.

Although he played against Kerry at left wing forward, Doyle reverts to left corner back - a position he filled for the county in the early part of the campaign until injury forced him out - at the expense of Dowling. The move isn't particularly surprising as doubts had been expressed in Kildare about Dowling's ability to cope with the pace of Derek Savage.

Buckley returns to the starting line-up, while Ronan Quinn, Kildare's only injury worry in the build-up to the final, is named at full back. There remains some doubt, however, about Quinn. Rumours persist that his injury has not fully responded to treatment.

Quinn has had a problem wih a groin injury for some time and although he has trained with the rest of the squad, he has not been put under any serious pressure and has been nursed along in the hope that he will be in full health for the final. Most of his training is reported to have been on a bicycle and in a swimming pool and local opinion is that the team manager, Mick O'Dwyer, will not risk him unless he is capable of playing a full part in the match from start to finish.

Kildare have a number of fallback options should Quinn not pass a fitness test. Veteran Davy Dalton, the current All Star full back, came on in the semi-final in place of Dowling and could be drafted in on the edge of the square. More likely, given Kildare's concerns about the pace of Galway's full forwards, would be the switching of John Finn from wing back. Finn played full back for the county last year.

Buckley returns to partner Willie McCreery in midfield. Buckley has played a full part in training after missing the last match.

There was also a positional switch in the team named last night, with half backs Anthony Rainbow and John Finn swopping wings. This may not be significant as both are equally adept on either side of the half back line.

The proposed switch may however give an insight into Kildare's plans for dealing with Galway's Michael Donnellan who was so influential against Derry. Although the mobile Dunmore player was listed at right wing forward, he lined out on the left and Rainbow may be considered to have more pace to deal with the threat.

The substitutes were not named last night.