Mickey Harte says Tyrone face a massive battle with Kerry
ALL-IRELAND FINAL Venue: Croke Park. Date: Sunday, 21 September. Throw-in: 1530 BST. Coverage: Live: BBC2 NI, Radio Ulster MW and on the BBC NI website
O'Neill will be part of the panel for the All-Ireland final
Mickey Harte says Stephen O'Neill is available for selection for Sunday's All-Ireland final despite not being included in Tyrone's 30-man panel.
O'Neill's name was surprisingly absent from the official team list released by the Red Hands on Thursday afternoon.
"Only 30 names could be submitted for the match programme but Stephen will be available and is very much part of the squad for Sunday," Harte told the BBC.
"He is a quality player and will be in action in the not too distant future."
"Stephen will be part of the team list on Sunday, his fitness levels are very high and Tyrone fans will see him in action very soon," added Harte, in a clear indication that the forward would play some part in the decider against Kerry at Croke Park.
Harte would not be drawn on whether O'Neill would start in Sunday's final.
Tyrone hoping for a repeat of 2005
O'Neill made a dramatic return to the panel a fortnight ago after holding discussions with manager Mickey Harte.
The only change from the win over Wexford is Brian McGuigan's inclusion in place of Martin Penrose.
After being a late call-up, Penrose was hugely impressive in the win over Wexford but he has to be content with a place in the subs with McGuigan return to the starting line-up.
There has been continuing speculation over McGuigan's fitness in recent days but he was named at centre half-forward in the selection released on Thursday afternoon.
There are also believed to be question marks over the fitness of Dermot Carlin, who has been named in the subs.
Tyrone PRO Damien Harvey told BBC Sport that O'Neill "has been left out of the 30".
O'Neill was reported to be "flying" in training and his apparent omission was a huge shock.
The defence has a number of positional switches but the same six backs that started against Wexford have been selected.
The named 15 has Ryan McMenamin switching from centre half-back to corner-back with Conor Gormley named at number six.
Kerry named their team on Thursday's evening with full-forward Kieran Donaghy fit and in the starting line-up.
Donaghy missed training for around two weeks after the semi-final win over Cork because of a knee problem.
However, he is said to have trained without any ill-effects at the weekend.
Kerry's only major selection issue saw Eoin Brosnan edge out Paul Galvin for a place in the attack.
Kingdom skipper Galvin was available again after serving a three-man ban imposed after he knocked a notebook out of referee Paddy Russell's hands in the Munster SFC game against Clare on 15 June.
However, Brosnan is included in the half-forward line with Declan O'Sullivan and Bryan Sheehan.
Padraig Reidy saw off the challenge of Tommy Griffin to take the full-back berth.
Tyrone: J Devine, R McMenamin, Justin McMahon, C Gourley, D Harte, C Gormley, P Jordan, C Holmes, E McGinley, B Dooher, B McGuigan, Joe McMahon, T McGuigan, S Cavanagh, C McCullagh. Subs: P McConnell, D Carlin, C Cavanagh, P Donnelly, N Gormley, K Hughes, C McCarron, D McCaul, M McGee, R Mellon, R Mulgrew, O Mulligan, Shaun O'Neill, M Penrose, PJ Quinn.
Kerry: D Murphy, M O Se, T O'Sullivan, P Reidy, T O Se, A O'Mahony, K Young, D O Se, S Scanlon, B Sheehan, D O'Sullivan, E Brosnan, C Cooper, K Donaghy, T Walsh. Subs: K Cremin, T Griffin, S O'Sullivan, D O'Sullivan, M Quirke, D Walsh, D Bohan, M F Russell, R O Flatharta, P O'Connor, K O'Leary, D Moran, P Galvin, A Maher, P Corridan, M Moloney, K Quirke, A O'Shea.
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