Maurice Fitzgerald is reported to be ready to return to the Kerry panel for the 2003 All-Ireland Championship and National League campaigns.

The 1997 GAA footballer of the year did not make himself available for the 2002 season in which Kerry reached the All-Ireland final.

But Kerry's manager Paidi O Se and county board chairman Sean Walsh have been persuading Fitzgerald to make a county comeback.

The big sticking point is the tough training regime favoured by Kerry in recent seasons.

Fitzgerald is known to be unhappy with the amount of physical training demanded in previous campaigns.

The player has just completed a successful club season with St Mary's.

O Se has indicated that if Fitzgerald does return he could be given come leeway in devising his own training schedules.

Fitzgerald, now 33, has not played for the Kingdom since the 2001 All-Ireland semi-final defeat against Meath.

Meanwhile, Dunshaughlin are new Leinster club champions after defeating Louth's Mattock Rangers 0-13 to 0-7.