Ó hAilpín resumes dual role for Cork

SEÁN ÓG Ó hAILPÍN has resumed his dual involvement with Cork for this year’s championships.

The Na Piarsaigh man opted out of football after the 2000 championship campaign and then suffered horrific injuries in a car accident which threatened his playing career.

However, he recovered well, and following a series of impressive displays with his club this year and in a recent challenge match with the county, he has made the cut after the selectors

recently culled their panel for the championship. While the full panel hasn't been officially announced, long-serving Joe Kavanagh looks to have played his last game for the county after he failed to make the 30-strong panel.

All the regulars are included, among them six players from All-Ireland champions Nemo Rangers, the Cronin brothers Martin and Alan, Colin Corkery, Niall Geary, Maurice McCarthy and Derek Kavanagh. Goalkeeper Kieran Murphy (Boherbue), John Miskella (Ballincollig), Tom Kenny (Grenagh), Seán Óg Ó hAilpín (Na Piarsaigh), Jim O'Donoghue (St Finbarr's) and Bernie Collins (Castlehaven) are also included, but Paudie Kissane (Clyda Rovers) and Conor McCarthy (O'Donovan Rossa) failed to make the cut.

With several members of the team involved with their clubs at the weekend in county hurling championship matches, the Cork senior footballers are keeping their fingers crossed that they all come through unscathed with the Munster SFC clash with Limerick just nine days away. Martin and Alan Cronin (IHC with Nemo), Eoin Sexton (IHC with Kilbrittain), Seán Óg Ó hAilpín (SHC with Na Piarsaigh) and Noel O'Leary (divisional) JFC with Kilnamartyra) are all in action, which is not the ideal preparation for the Limerick match. "It's a situation we don't want, but there is little we can do.

Players must play with their clubs and hopefully, they do not pick up any injuries," said team selector Eamon Ryan. "Playing Limerick in the championship hasn't been easy at the best of times," said Ryan, but if they come to Cork for the championship as Division Two league winners, they will be twice as hard to beat."

The choice for Cork captaincy will be interesting. Joe Kavanagh has been chosen to lead Nemo in this year's county championship with Martin Cronin as vice-captain.

With Kavanagh having failed to make the panel, Cronin would automatically assume the captaincy of the county team, provided of course he makes the team. In the unlikely event of Cronin not being picked, the captaincy could revert back to Colin Corkery, who led the team last year. The Limerick football selectors have decided to stand by the 15 who started against Wexford in the semi-final for their Division Two NL final against Westmeath at Croke Park, on Sunday.

In their eight league games to date, Limerick suffered just one defeat to Westmeath, in Mullingar.

Manager Liam Kearns said they were ready for their big day. "Even though our Munster first-round opponents Cork are likely to be well represented in the stands, this is one game in which we cannot pull back ... we will just have to show our full hand if we are to beat Westmeath and land our first-ever League title."

LIMERICK (SF v Westmeath): S. O'Donnell; M. O'Riordan, D. Sheehy, T. Stack, C. Mullane, J.Quane, D. Reidy; J. Stokes, J. Galvin; S. Lavin, M. Gavin, S. Kelly, C. Fitzgerald, B. Begley, M. Reidy.