Four new faces on Cork team to face Kingdom

THERE are four debutantes on the Cork Senior football team for Sunday’s Munster Championship semi-final against Kerry in Killarney.

Gary Murphy (Nemo Rangers), Dermot Hurley (Castlehaven), Conor McCarthy (O’Donovan Rossa) and Kieran O’Sullivan (Ilen Rovers) have all been named on the starting 15 as Cork look for their first victory over Kerry since the Munster semi-final of 2002.

Long serving Ciaran O’Sullivan returns for his first game since the heavy defeat by Kerry in the subsequent 2002 All-Ireland semi-final and will lead the attack.

Gary Murphy comes in for the injured Anthony Lynch and as a consequence Martin Cronin moves to centre-back with his Nemo colleague at left half back.

Dermot Hurley will partner Graham Canty at midfield while Conor McCarthy and Kieran O’Sullivan have been chosen at left half and left corner forward respectively.

Goal-scoring full forward Johnny Crowley has been passed fit for Kerry and the only change from the side that defeated Clare in the first round sees Liam Hassett taking over the right half forward berth from Paul Galvin.

Crowley damaged a knee in the game against Clare and was replaced in the first half. But he came through last night’s training session unscathed. During the first round encounter Hassett came on as a substitute for Galvin.

Declan Browne is out of the Tipperary football team for Saturday’s All-Ireland first round qualifier against Fermanagh in Semple Stadium.

He had a knee cartilage operation at the weekend and will be out for six weeks. Tipp announce their team tonight.

Niall Curran is a notable absentee from the Waterford team to play Limerick in the Munster SFC semi-final at the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday. He is under suspension after being red carded in a recent county SHC game. Also missing is Gary Hurney, spending a 12-month stint in Australia.

There are three senior championship debutants, corner backs John Moore and Trevor Costelloe and corner forward Liam Ó Lionáin from the Ring club.

Liam Kearns won’t name the Limerick team until tomorrow night to allow Seamus O’Donnell and Jason Stokes prove their fitness. Both missed the first round win over Tipperary.

Alan Clohessy takes over the right half back position from Noel Griffen for Clare’s qualifier with Sligo.

Other changes from the team that lost to Kerry sees Colm Mullen moving to centre forward to the exclusion of Denis Russell. Michael O’Shea comes in at left half forward with Odran O’Dwyer now taking over the full forward duties and Michael O’Dwyer replaces Sean O’Meara at top of the left.

CORK (SF v Kerry): K. O’Dwyer, S. O’Brien, D. Kavanagh, N. O’Leary, E. Sexton, M. Cronin, G. Murphy, D. Hurley, G. Canty, A. Cronin, C. O’Sullivan, C. McCarthy, C. Crowley, M. Ó Croinín, K. O’Sullivan.

KERRY (SF v Cork): D. Murphy; T. O’Sullivan, M. McCarthy, A. O’Mahony; T. O’Se, E. Fitzmaurice, S. Moynihan; D. Ó’Sé, W. Kirby; L. Hassett, D. O’Sullivan, E. Brosnan; C. Cooper, J. Crowley, M. F. Russell.

WATERFORD (SF v Limerick): P. Houlihan (St. Saviours); J. Moore (Nire). E. Rockett (Portlaw). T. Costelloe (Stradbally); C. Watt (Dunhill). T. Dunphy (Gaultier). N. Hennessy (Ardmore); K. O’Keeffe (Clashmore). A. Hubbard (Newtown); J. Hearne (Stradbally). M. Ahearne (Kill). J. Coffey (Stradbally); L. O’Lionain (Ring). S. Wall (Nire). G. Power (Stradbally) capt. The list of substitutes won’t be finalised until later.

CLARE (SFC v Sligo): D. O’Brien; P. Gallagher, C. Whelan, K. Dilleen; A. Clohessy, B. Considine, R. Slattery; D. Russell, D. O’Sullivan; G. Quinlan, C. Mullen, M. O’Shea; E. Coughlan, O’ O’Dwyer, M. O’Dwyer.

ANTRIM (SFC v Louth): S. McGreevy; N. Ward, C. Brady, T. Convey; G. Adams, S. Kelly, A. Finnegan; M. McCrory, J. Quinn; M. McCarry, B. McGourty, J. Marron; K. Brady, D. O’Hare, K. Madden.

WATERFORD (JF v Limerick): A. Kirwan (Kilrossanty); N. Barry (John Mitchels). R. Power (Kilrossanty). M. Byrne (Nire); D. Ryan (do). L. Hurney (Ballinacourty). M.Kiely (Kilrossanty); S. Dempsey (Emmetts) M. O’Brien (St. Saviours); K. Whelan (Bonmahon). D. Kirwan (John Mitchels). R. Hennessy (Kill); E. Doherty (St. Saviours). P. Foley (Gaultier). J. Power (John Mitchels).

CORK (JF v Kerry): A. Quirke (Valley Rovers); J. Honohan (Donoughmore), D. Duggan (Ilen Rovers), E. Wiseman (Castletownbere); M. Prout (Shamrocks), G. Spillane (Ballygarvan), J. Sheehy (Ilen Rovers); F. Collins (do.), D. Wiseman (CTB); M. Kearney (Nemo Rangers), J. Hayes (Carbery Rangers), K. Daly (Ilen Rovers); C. Brosnan (Ballinora), F. Murphy (St. Vincents), P. Dunlea (Canovee). Subs. P. O’Shea (St. Vincents), P. Fitzgerald (Erins Own), N. O’Riordan (Glenville), J. Wycherley (Ilen Rovers), P. O’Connell (Delanys), A. O’Shea (Macroom), B. O’Sullivan (Ilen Rovers), W. Morgan (Nemo Rgs.), E. Sheehy (Ilen Rovers).