Cork name five debutants for Munster Football quarter-final
There is a fresh look to the Cork team to face Limerick in tomorrow night's Munster SFC quarter-final at the Gaelic Grounds (throw-in 7pm).
Manager Conor Counihan will give Championship debuts to goalkeeper Ken O'Halloran, wing back Tomás Clancy and the Under-21 trio of Damien Cahalane, John O'Rourke and Brian Hurley.
Bishopstown clubman Ken O'Halloran, who deputised for the Army-tied Alan Quirke during the league run, has been rewarded for his solid form in recent months.
Eoin Cadogan - rated doubtful with an Achilles injury - and Cahalane will start in the corners with Graham Canty reverting to centre-back after featuring in midfield during the league. Fermoy clubman Clancy has been preferred to Noel O'Leary at wing back.
The fit-again Paddy Kelly returns to lead the Rebels' attack from centre forward, flanked by debutant O'Rourke and Ciaran Sheehan.
Although Jamie O'Sullivan, Barry O'Driscoll and Tom Clancy are ruled out through injury, Counihan has been able to include talented attackers Fintan Goold and Donncha O'Connor on the bench.
Meanwhile, hosts Limerick will have two players making their Munster Championship bows - goalkeeper Donal O'Sullivan and midfielder Bobby O'Brien.
O'Brien's centre-field partner John Galvin is thankfully back to full fitness after a wretched time with injury. He is set to make his first Championship appearance since 2012, although the Shannonsiders' hopes have been hit by the injury-enforced absence of key forward Ian Ryan (torn ankle ligament).
Ryan, who captained Limerick during the league, sustained the injury during their Division 4 final win over Offaly last month. Dromcollogher/Broadford clubman Seanie Buckley will lead the team this weekend from wing forward.
LIMERICK (SFC v Cork): Donal O'Sullivan; Andrew Lane, Johnny McCarthy, Mark O'Riordan; Stephen Lavin, Paudie Browne, Pa Ranahan; Bobby O'Brien, John Galvin; John Riordan, Thomas Lee, Seanie Buckley; Ger Collins, Iain Corbett, Eoghan O'Connor.
CORK: Ken O'Halloran; Eoin Cadogan, Michael Shields, Damien Cahalane; Paudie Kissane, Graham Canty, Tomás Clancy; Aidan Walsh, Pearse O'Neill; Ciaran Sheehan, Paddy Kelly, John O'Rourke; Daniel Goulding, Brian Hurley, Paul Kerrigan.
Subs: David Lordan, John McLoughlin, Noel O'Leary, James Loughrey, Alan O'Connor, Andrew O'Sullivan, James Fitzpatrick, Fintan Goold, Liam Shorten, Mark Collins, Donncha O'Connor.
