Colm Cooper and Kieran Donaghy will both be "definitely back" for Kerry in 2017, according to their Kingdom team-mate Donnchadh Walsh.

The Munster champions have already lost experienced defenders Marc O Se and Aidan O'Mahony to intercountry retirement during the close season, so supporters will be relieved to hear that their 33-year-old veteran attacking duo are prepared to put their shoulders to the wheel for one more season.

"They're definitely back as far as I can see. You don't like that uncertainty so it's a good boost," Walsh confirmed at the launch of the national football league yesterday. "I'm fairly confident that will be it. We'll be putting the head down and knowing the numbers we have for the rest of the year.

"The whole ethos in the dressing room, and the culture that Eamonn Fitzmaurice has grown over the number of years, is that it's up to the players to be the leaders. So as good as Aidan or Marc were, we still have plenty of leaders, and I don't think we'll be found wanting in that regard.

"I am a little surprised by Aidan's decision. I've met him in the gym the last couple of weeks and he's still in incredible shape, and it looked like he was maintaining it to give it another year. I'm not too sure what his thinking process around it was but physically he could have given it another year. But obviously you need to be fully committed to it mentally as well then."

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