Davis warning for Cork U21’s
“As it’s our first outing in the championship, I don’t know how good we are”, said Davis. “On paper we have a very good team and have played a lot of challenge games but it all boils down to how you perform on the night.
“Naturally I would have preferred if our two senior hurlers were available to start but John Gardiner is carrying an injury while Setanta Ó hAilpín is being rested. However, both will be on the bench.
“We will be treating Waterford with the upmost respect, after all Cork football has nothing to be cocky about at the moment. We are going to have to start from scratch and a win tonight would be the ideal launch pad”.
Waterford have included five seniors who played in the Munster championship against Tipperary and four subs in their team.
The entire full-back line of Michael Crotty, Ger Hayes and John O’Reilly played against Tipperary in the same positions, while centre-back Edmond Rockett lined out at wing-back.
The fact that nine of their team have senior experience is a boost for to Cork, who will also have 11 members of the team which won the minor All-Ireland three years ago.
Meanwhile the Cork intermediate hurling team to play Kilkenny in Saturday’s All-Ireland final in Thurles, shows just one change from that which trounced Galway in the semi-final. John Murphy who came on as a sub in that game, retains his place at right corner-forward with Dave Moher dropping to the bench.
It’s going to be a very busy 48 hours for Michael Prout who has been named at right corner-back on the U21 football and intermediate hurling teams.
WATERFORD (U-21F v Cork): D. Hickey (Brickey Rangers); M. Crotty (Rathgormack), J. Hayes (Banmahon), J. O’Reilly (Tramore); N., Hennessy (Ardmore), E. Rockett (Portlaw), J. Hurney (Ballinacourty); S. Dempsey (Emmetts), M. Walsh (Stradbally); T. Power (Bunmahon), M. Power (Tramore), T. Whelan (do.); L. ÓLionnain (An Gaeltacht), S. Walsh (The Nire), B. Harty (Ardmore); Subs. A,. Power (Kilmacthomas), A. O’Loughlin (Rathgormack), E. Walsh (St. Olivers), E. Walsh (do.), P Behan (Kilmacthomas), B. Costello (Tramore), T. Halpin (Brickey Rangers), S. Nugent (do.), P. Connery (Clashmore), J. Walsh (Emmetts), S. Fleming (Clashmore), S. Prendergast (Kilrossanty), G. O’Connor (Gaultier).
CORK (IH v Kilkenny): M. Coleman (Ballinhassig); M. Prout (Shamrocks), J. O’Brien (Milford), B. Murphy (Bride Rovers); J. Hughes (Blarney), B. Lombard (Ballinhasssig), K. Hartnett (Russell Rovers); A. O’Connor (CIT), J. Barrett (Carrigtwohill); J. O’Callaghan (Castletownroche), B. Coleman (Youghal), R. O’Dwyer (Ballymartle); J. Murphy (Courcey Rovers), D. O’Riordan (Inniscarra), J. Quinlan (Rathluirc).
Subs: A. Nash (Kanturk), D. Lynch (Ballygiblin), D. Fitzgerald (Rathluirc), V. Morrissey (Aghada), O. Conway (Fr. O’Neills), M. Daly (Cobh), D. Moher (Ballygiblin), T. Healy (Buttevant), V. Hurley (Courcey Rovers).
