Colm O'Driscoll has hit out at Brian Cuthbert's detractors and praised him following confirmation of his departure as Cork senior football manager this morning.

One change for one Cork team and two for the other as the pair put the final preparations to their do-or-die championship clashes at the weekend.

Former Kerry forward Sean O’Sullivan has commended Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s consistency after dropping Colm Cooper and Anthony Maher among five changes for tomorrow’s Munster final.

A fortnight after that League final hammering, Cork get back on the horse by facing the Dubs all over again at the Cill Na Martra grounds in mid-Cork on Sunday afternoon.

As expected, Cork have made wholesale changes for Sunday’s Division 1 semi-final against Donegal from the team that beat Derry last Sunday.

Cork midfielder Ian Maguire has overcome a back injury and is selected for tomorrow’s Munster U21 football quarter-final against Limerick.

Sigerson Cup First Round

They’ll share a pot of tea on Sunday night, eat dinner together most evenings and hop into the car every Tuesday and Friday to complete the 130km round spin to training. Rarely though, if ever, is football discussed.

Ballincollig 3-15 Carbery 1-11

Cork’s dual playing triumvirate have been promoted to the team for Sunday’s Munster final against Kerry.

Sean Dineen is the surprise inclusion in the Cork senior football squad for the championship.

Kerry and Cork will face off in the latest instalment of an epic rivalry this Sunday at Austin Stack Park with the home side in need of a win to have any chance of progressing to the league semi-finals.

Colm O’Neill will make his first start of the year for the Cork footballers in Sunday’s Allianz Football League Division 1 clash with Mayo at Elverys MacHale Park (throw-in 2.30pm).

Eamonn Fitzmaurice has dismissed suggestions last Sunday’s defeat to Mayo was another example of a Kerry second-half fadeout.

Cork will not mount any further opposition to the decision to run the Féile na nGael without top-tier competitions in both 2014 and ’15.

Ruairí Deane, Alan Cronin and Donal Óg Hodnett are some of the notable newcomers to the Cork football squad for the Allianz Football League Division 1 campaign, though Ray Carey is not included.

Castlehaven 1-14 Carbery 2-10

Rockchapel 2-10 Tadhg MacCárthaigh’s 1-10

Limerick boss Maurice Horan has made two changes for Saturday’s Munster SFC semi-final against Clare while he is also able to call upon talisman John Galvin after the star midfielder reported fit following a cruciate ligament injury.

Cork minor manager Ephie Fitzgerald has made one change for tomorrow’s Electric Ireland Munster MFC semi-final against Tipperary in Páirc Uí Chaoimh from the team that defeated Limerick in the first round.

They have sampled the senior management game in recent years but these days Ephie Fitzgerald and Mickey Ned O’Sullivan are focusing on the underage ranks.

Stevie McDonnell last night announced his retirement from inter-county football.

An injury-time point by Colm O’Neill kept last year’s semi-finalists Avondhu in this year’s Cork SFC.

AFL club Carlton’s recruitment of underage Gaelic football stars shows no signs of abating.

A HAT-TRICK of goals in the first half by corner-forward Conor Keane proved instrumental in propelling St Brendan’s to victory over Cork opponents St Fachtna’s in their opening Corn Uí Mhuirí Group B encounter in Cloughduv yesterday afternoon.

VETERANS, captain Graham Canty and goalkeeper Alan Quirke, have been drafted into the Cork team as the All-Ireland champions commence their 2011 campaign against Clare on Sunday.

CORK boss Brian Cuthbert has named four players who featured in last year’s All-Ireland MFC decider for Wednesday night’s Munster MFC opening round clash against Clare in Páirc Uí Rinn.

A TWO-GOAL salvo by midfielder Denis O’Sullivan propelled Carbery past Duhallow in last night’s Cork SFC clash in Cloughduv, thus securing top spot for the West Cork division in Group 1.

ST FINBARR’S are back in a senior final for the first time since 1993 following a deserved victory over favourites Carbery in an entertaining Evening Echo Cork county SFC semi-final at a Pairc Ui Rinn last night.

MEATH boss Eamonn O’Brien has confirmed defender Kevin Reilly will not feature in Sunday week’s All-Ireland SFC semi-final against Kerry.

BALLYMARTLE may soon be celebrating a clean sweep of Cork hurling titles.

NEMO RANGERS won the permanent tsb Cork County IFC title for the second time in two years at floodlit Páirc Uí Rinn yesterday.