Patience pays off as Geary gets Cork call

NIALL GEARY’S patience has finally paid off.

After two seasons sitting on the bench, he has finally got his chance for the Cork team ahead of Saturday night’s Allianz League tie against Kerry at Pairc Uí Rinn.

The Nemo Rangers man takes over at full-back from Ciaran O’Sullivan, on a team which shows sweeping changes from the side which lost the All-Ireland semi-final to the same opposition last August.

Out go O’Sullivan, Sean Levis, Martin Cronin and Ronan McCarthy from defence and Joe Kavanagh, Philip Clifford and Colin Corkery in attack.

Former minor All-Ireland winners Noel O’Donovan and Noel O’Leary come for Sean Levis and Martin Cronin, who is away on holiday. Bernie Collins is the latest partner for Nicholas Murphy in the troublesome midfield area.

Collins was a highly rated under-21 player but opted for a career in Australian football for two years before returning at the end of 2002.

Miceal Ó Croinín has been recalled to lead the attack in place of Joe Kavanagh. Derek Kavanagh takes over from his club colleague Alan Cronin at left half-forward while Colin Crowley takes over from Philip Clifford in the full-forward line.

Kerry who won’t announce their team until tonight, must plan without Mike Frank Russell.

The All-Star forward picked up a groin injury in training on last night and will be out of action for at least a month.

John Crowley and Liam Hassett are also out, giving the Kerry selectors some headaches in attack.

Meanwhile, Dublin boss Tommy Lyons has rewarded talented young duo Bryan Cullen and Mossie Quinn with starting places for Sunday’s Allianz League opener with Armagh at Croke Park.

Cullen is a former minor captain and has starred for the seniors in the Bluestars challenge and O’Byrne Cup ties against Wicklow and Kildare this year.

Elsewhere, All-Star goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton has shaken off a leg injury to start while David Henry comes in at left corner-back and Shane Ryan reverts from centre-forward to centre-back.

Ray Cosgrove is suspended so Johnny McNally starts at full-forward.

Armagh boss Joe Kernan has named 13 of his 15 All-Ireland winning players in the starting lineup.

However, there are real injury concerns over All-Stars Oisin McConville (flu) and Enda McNulty (knee) for the repeat of last August’s All-Ireland semi-final tie.

McNulty is the biggest concern as the Ballyboden St Enda’s man picked up a painful knee injury in the All-Stars trip to San Diego recently and is waiting to receive the all clear from specialists.

Elsewhere, a place has been left at full-forward with teenage star Ronan Clarke out injured while Paul Hearty comes in for Benny Tierney in goal as expected.

Cormac McGinley has been ruled out of the Tyrone team as they open the defence of their National Football League title against Roscommon in Dr Hyde Park.

The Errigal Ciaran man limped out of the McKenna Cup semi-final tie against Cavan, and according to team manager Nicky Harte, won’t be risked on Sunday. A definite starter will be Colm McAnallan who has recovered from injury.

Cavan will be without Pierce McKenna and John Tierney for their opening game against Kildare in Newbridge. McKenna aggravated a knee injury against Tyrone last Sunday while Tierney continues to be hampered with a hamstring problem.

The Laois team to play Meath in Navan shows four changes from the side which lost to Longford in the O’Byrne Cup three weeks ago.

Colm Byrne, Joe Higgins, Kevin Fitzpatrick and Chris Conway come in for JP Keogh, Tom McDonald, Michael Lawlor and Gary Kavanagh as Mick O’Dwyer looks to get his tenure with his new charges off to a winning start.

Limerick will be without three key players for the long trip to Carrick-on-Shannon to play Leitrim.

Full-back Dermot Sheehy is still recovering from a broken hand; wingback Damien Reidy is also on the end from a groin operation while John Galvin won’t return from Australia until next week.

Roscommon will face Mayo in the final of the Connacht FBD League on April 13 following a meeting of the provincial council last night.

Both Mayo and Galway finished on the same number of points in the league but because of Mayo’s superior scoring difference they progress to the decider.

A senior Connacht source said last night: “In the end it was a unanimous decision that Mayo would go into the final.”

CORK (SF v Kerry): K. O’Dwyer; N. O’Donovan (Bishopstown), N. Geary (Nemo Rangers), A. Lynch; E. Sexton, G. Canty, N. O’Leary (Cill na Martyra); N. Murphy, B. Collins (Castlehaven); BJ O’Sullivan, M. Ó Croinín (Ballyvourney),

D. Kavanagh (Nemo Rangers); A. Cronin, F. Murray, C. Crowley (Castlehaven). Subs. K. Murphy (Boherbue), C. Murphy, R. O’Mahony (St Finbarrs), J. O’Donoghue (do), D. O’Sullivan (Cloyne), A. O’Connor (Charleville), P. Kissane (Clyda Rovers), M. O’Donovan (Dohenys), K. Murphy (Erins Own).

LAOIS (SF v Meath): F. Byron; T. Kelly, C. Byrne, J. Higgins; D. Rooney, K. Fitzpatrick, D. Conroy; P. Clancy, N. Garvan; C. Conway, I. Fitzgerald, C. Parkinson; B. McDonald, H. Emerson, D. Delaney.

DUBLIN (SF v Armagh): S Cluxton; B Cahill, P Christie, D Henry; C Goggins, S Ryan, P Andrews; C Whelan, D Magee; C Moran, B Cullen, S Connell; A Brogan, J McNally, T Quinn.

ARMAGH: (SF v Dublin): P Hearty; E McNulty, J McNulty, F Bellew; A O'Rourke, K McGeeney, A McCann; J Toal, P McGrane; P McKeever, J McEntee, O McConville; S McDonnell, AN. OTHER, D Marsden.