'Semplegate' trio return for Cork
With their suspensions having expired last weekend, the 'Semplegate' trio of Donal Og Cusack, Diarmuid O'Sullivan and Sean Og O hAilpin have been recalled to the Cork team for Saturday's All-Ireland SHC qualifier against Dublin (Parnell Park, throw-in 3.30pm).
The three players will hope to put the controversy surrounding their four-week bans for incidents prior to Cork's Munster SHC win over Clare behind them as the Rebels look to take the first step on the way to securing an All-Ireland quarter-final berth.
With those marquee players returning and both Tom Kenny (hamstring) and Niall McCarthy (ankle) ruled out due to injury, Cork manager Gerald McCarthy has made four changes in personnel and three positional switches for the trip to the capital.
Goalkeeper Anthony Nash, full-back Cian O'Connor and the injured Kenny make way for Cusack, O'Sullivan and O hAilpin, with Kevin Hartnett switched from left half-back to midfield where he will partner Jerry O'Connor.
Team captain Kieran Murphy of Erin's Own has been moved to centre-forward where he steps in for the injured McCarthy, who is facing a six-week lay-off after breaking a metatarsal bone in Cork's recent Munster semi-final defeat to Waterford.
Neil Ronan comes in at top of the right as an indirect replacement for McCarthy, with Ben O'Connor taken out of the full-forward line and re-positioned on the right wing.
CORK (SHC v Dublin) - D Sg Cusack; B Murphy, D O'Sullivan, S O'Neill; J Gardiner, R Curran, S Sg S hAilpmn; K Hartnett, J O'Connor; B O'Connor, Kieran Murphy (Erin's Own) (capt), P Cronin; N Ronan, Kieran Murphy (Sarsfields), J Deane.
