Egan lone senior panellist as Tipp U-21’s bid to reach final

THE Tipperary U21 hurling team to play Clare in the Erin Munster semi-final in Thurles tonight includes just one senior panellist in Darragh Egan.

Conor O’Brien, Niall Teehan and Egan are the only surviving members from last year’s team which lost to Cork in the final. David Young of Toomevara captains the side. Clare include three seniors in Jonathan Clancy, Joe McInerney and Pat Donnellan.

Tipperary won the corresponding minor game three years ago, and while Clare have a lot of work done with their team, the home side will be favourites to advance to the final.

It’s surely a sign of the times when there is no St Finbarr’s, Glen Rovers or Na Piarsaigh player on the starting Cork U21 team for their semi-final against Waterford in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

There are three players from Bishopstown, goalkeeper Ken O’Halloran and forwards Ronan Conway and Patrick Cronin, while Douglas have two in Eoin Cadogan and Mark Harrington.

Waterford have made just one change from the team that scored a one-point first round victory over Limerick for tonight’s trip to Cork. Into the side at full forward comes Abbeyside’s Mark Fives whose father Greg is team manager.

He replaces David Hickey who played at wing-forward against Limerick.

WATERFORD (U21 HC v Cork): D. Ryan (Mount Sion); J. O’Farrell(do), J. Kindregan (Abbeyside), M. O’Brien (Tallow); R. Foley (Abbeyside), K. Moran (De La Salle), W. Hutchinson (Ballygunner); S. O’Sullivan (do), D. Russell (De La Salle); J. Shanahan (Lismore). L. Lawlor (Fourmilewater). T. Power (Ballygunner); M. Gorman (Abbeyside). M.Fives (do). G. O’Connor (Ballygunner).

CORK (U21 HC v Waterford): K. O’Halloran (Bishopstown); C. Murphy (Blackrock), E. Dillon (Milford), E. O’Sullivan (Ballyhea); E. Cadogan (Douglas), A. Ryan (Midleton), S. Cronin (Erins Own); C. Naughton (Newtownshandrum), M. Harrington (Douglas); R. Conway (Bishopstown), K. Canty (Valley Rovers), P. O’Brien (Kildorrery); M. O’Sullivan (Ballyhea), P.Cronin (Bishopstown), B. Barry (Youghal).

Subs: E. O’Sullivan (Carrigaline), M. Walsh (Kildorrery), D. Dwyer (Ballymartle), P. O’Flynn (Ballyclough), G. O’Leary (Fr. O’Neills), D. Dorris (Glen Rovers), F. O’Leary (Ballinhassig), D. Crowley (Bishopstown), C. Hurley (Midleton) TIPPERARY (U21H v Clare): G Kennedy (Killenaule); P Stapleton (Borris-Ileigh), A Byrne (Shannon Rovers), C O’Brien (Eire Óg Annacarty); D Young (Toomevara, capt.), J Bob McCarthy (Golden-Kilfeacle), S Horan (St. Patricks Drangan); J Woodlock (Drom & Inch), S Lillis (Thurles Sarsfields); R O’Dwyer (Cashel King Cormacs), N Teehan (Gortnahoe-Glengoole), D Sheppard (Moycarkey-Borris); R Ruth (Thurles Sarsfields), D Egan (Kildangan), R McLoughney (Kilruane MacDonaghs) CLARE (U21HC v Tipperary): K. Davitt (Newmarket-on-Fergus); B. Bugler (Whitegate), E. Collins (Killenena), A. Kilmartin (Newmarket-on-Fergus); J. McInerney (do.), P. Donnellan (O’Callaghans Mills), M. Hawes (Cratloe); M. O’Hanlon (Newmarket-on-Fergus), J. Clancy (Cratloe); S. O’Brien (Newmarket-on-Fergus), C. Rafferty (Kilnamona), T. Kearse (Clarecastle); B. Gaffney (Newmarket-on-Fergus), M. Flaherty (Kilnenena), D. O’Halloran (Kilnamona).

CORK (IHC v Tipperary): A. Nash (Kanturk); J. Hughes (Blarney), W. Twomey (Kilworth), T. Lordan (Courcey Rovers); B. Lombard (Ballinhassig), D. McSweeney (Blarney), V. Hurley (Courcey Rovers); M. O’Callaghan (Argideen Rangers), K. Hartnett (Russell Rovers); R. O’Dwyer (Ballymartle), D. Dineen (Ballinhassig), J. Russell (Grenagh); S. Hayes (Courcey Rovers), R. Doherty (Ballincollig), M. O’Sullivan (Ballyhea).

Subs: S. Barry (St. Finbarr’s), B. Coleman (Ballinhassig), S. Cronin (Erins Own), T. Healy (Buttevant), F. O’Leary (Ballinhassig), R. Conway (Bishopstown), C. O’Leary (Blackrock). B. O’Dwyer (Ballymartle), M. O’Donovan (Courcey Rovers).