Lohan out and now a major doubt for Munster opener

THERE is growing concern in Clare that outstanding full-back Brian Lohan could miss the opening round of the Munster championship against Waterford on May 16.

The Wolfe Tones man suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury during a challenge game between the county seniors and U21s on Monday night.

Lohan missed the earlier rounds of the National League because of the injury but recovered sufficiently to play against Tipperary in the second phase.

However, he didn’t play in last Sunday’s game against Limerick as a precaution but took part in the challenge game the following night which has seen him ruled out of the game against Cork on Saturday night.

Team coach Anthony Daly is very concerned about his full back’s fitness for the championship in three weeks time. He has also postponed naming his team until tonight pending progress reports on injuries to Alan Markham and Ollie Baker.

Baker was hit in the eye with a sliothar in training last week but is reported not to have been seriously injured. Markham is recovering from a dead leg against Limerick last Sunday.

With no further interest in this year’s league, the Cork selectors were in experimental mood when they named their team for Saturday night’s clash with Clare in Pairc Uí Rinn.

Into the team for his first outing comes Newtownshandrum’s goalkeeper Paul Morrissey while his club colleague Ian Kelleher, who had an outstanding All-Ireland final against Dunloy, is given his chance at right half back.

Another notable change sees John Browne in at full back and Diarmuid O’Sullivan at centre back, while the troublesome midfield is manned by Graham Callanan and Micky O’Connell on this occasion.

Glen Rovers’ John Anderson is named at right half forward for his first start in this year’s league, while Ben O’Connor is in from the start at right corner forward.

Andrew O’Shaughnessy returns to the Limerick team for Sunday’s showdown against Galway in Pearse Stadium. He missed out on the win over Clare due to army duties.

It’s one of three changes from the side that scored that late win over the Bannermen last Sunday. John Cahill takes over in goal from Albert Shanahan, while Donnacha Sheehan comes in at left full forward in place of Mark McMahon. A positional switches sees JP Sheehan move from left to right half forward in a swop with Sean O’Connor.

All Star Henry Shefflin has been recalled to the Kilkenny team for their last league game, against Antrim at Nowlan Park on Sunday.

The Shamrocks Ballyhale attacker has been out of action with a shoulder injury for the past three weeks, but he proved his fitness at training last night and the selectors gave him the go-ahead to face the Northerners.

Shefflin has been chosen at right-half forward on a team that includes just seven of last year’s All-Ireland winning side: Michael Kavanagh, Noel Hickey, Peter Barry, JJ Delaney, Tommy Walsh, Henry Shefflin and Eddie Brennan.

Luke Dempsey’s return to his native Carlow as advisor to the county’s troubled senior footballers got off to a good start with victory over Wexford in Dr Cullen Park last night.

While Wexford, managed by former Carlow boss Pat Roe, were without many regulars, Dempsey must have been pleased with his new charges performance.

The home county were 0-6 to 0-4 to the good at the break and second half goals from substitutes Mark Brennan and Patrick Hickey gave Carlow a morale boosting win three weeks ahead of their Leinster SFC clash with Longford in Tullamore.

CORK (SH v Clare): P. Morrissey (Newtownshandrum); B. Murphy (Bride Rovers), J. Browne (Blackrock), C. O’Connor (Erins Own); I. Kelleher (Newtown), D. O’Sullivan (Cloyne), M. Prendergast (Na Piarsaigh); M. O’Connell (Midleton), G. Callanan (Glen Rovers); J. Anderson (do.), N. McCarthy (Carrigtwohill), T. McCarthy (Castlelyons); K. Murphy (Sarsfields), J. Deane (Killeagh), B. O’Connor (Newtown).

LIMERICK (SH v Galway): J. Cahill; M. Cahill, TJ Ryan, B. Carroll; O. Moran, B. Geary, M. Foley; N. Moran, C. Smith; JP Sheehan, J. O’Brien, S. O’Connor; A. O’Shaughnessy, E. O’Neill, D. Sheehan.

KILKENNY (SH v Antrim): TJ Ryan; M Kavanagh, N Hickey, M Phelan; B Hogan, P Barry, JJ Delaney; T Walsh, P Tennyson; H Shefflin, J Maher, E Brennan; C Phelan, J Coogan, A Fogarty.

DERRY (Ulster U-21 FC final v Armagh): M. O’Kane; M., McGoldrick, L. O’Kane, J. Keenan; B. McKay, C. O’Brien, P. O’Hea; P. Bradley, R. Convery; G. Donaghy, K. Óg O’Kane, C. Moran; C. Mullan, E. Burke, P. Murphy.