Murphy returns to Cork midfield
Murphy missed the exciting win over Tyrone because of flu and is named as midfield partner to Derek Kavanagh, with Dermot Hurley moving to centre-forward to the exclusion of Alan O’Connor.
Dublin have made a number of changes for the visit of Billy Morgan’s side. The Dubs, who have lost to Tyrone and Donegal, are desperate to add to two points garnered from the narrow away victory over Limerick.
Jason Sherlock is named at full-forward by Paul Caffrey while Ross McConnell is moved from midfield to the full-back spot.
Clare, who take on Monaghan at Cusack Park on Sunday, will not name their team until later in the week due to the involvement of Greg Lyons, John Hayes and Gary Brennan in Saturday’s U21 clash with Kerry at Kilmihill. Ruled out of both games, however, because of a hamstring injury, is Stephen Monaghan.
Kildare will not be able to call on Ronan Sweeney for the next month at least after the Moorefield attacker had an operation on Monday on a long-standing groin problem.
The 26-year-old has been dogged by the injury for much of his club’s Leinster championship winning campaign although it didn’t stop him from being named man of the match in the provincial final.
Sweeney slotted two high pressure penalties in that game and added a late point as the Moores bounded towards a first ever Leinster title. That performance also sealed Sweeney’s selection as the AIB GAA Leinster Club Player of the Year but he was unable to accept the award personally on Monday.
He was back at home within hours of Monday’s procedure and has already begun his therapy in a bid to make a speedy return to the Kildare ranks.
Meanwhile, Cork play Galway in the All-Ireland Vocational Schools SHC final on Saturday at Pearse Stadium, Galway. Galway have set a high standard in the competition which begun in 1962, having won it no less than 12 times compared to Cork’s six.
Cork’s first win was in 1970 when they beat Galway 3-6 to 1-5 and the rivalry between the counties has been intense in recent years. Galway beat Cork in the 1995 final with Eugene Cloonan the star.
The following year Ben and Jerry O’Connor brought the title back to Cork for the first time since 1970.
Galway held the trophy from 1980 to 1987 producing some great players along the way. Cork beat Galway in ‘96, ‘97 and ‘98 after a replay, with great players such as Paul Morrisey and Pat Sexton flying the flag for the Rebel County.
Galway last won the title in 1995 with a team that included David Forde, now a regular for the Galway senior team.
In fact in last weekend’s NHL fixture against Limerick there were no less than 10 players who came through the Vocational Hurling system in the Galway line-up.
Cork are bidding for three-in-a-row this weekend, having beaten Tipperary in the last two finals. But manager Ger Gibbons believes the most difficult game they have had over the last three years was their drawn game against Galway in Gort in the All-Ireland Semi-Final last year. Cork won the replay by a point.
Cork will be led on Saturday by Darren Ryan of St Brogan’s, Bandon, following in the footsteps of Kevin Canty (2005) and Danny O’Callaghan (2006) both now on the verge on making the breakthrough at senior level. It will be a close call, but have Cork the slight edge after a good win over Kilkenny in the semi-final.
Meanwhile, Dublin senior football champions UCD have been drawn against Garda in the first round of the 2007 Championship.
CORK (SF v Dublin): P. O’Shea; E. Sexton, M. Shields, K. O’Connor; N. O’Leary, G. Spillane, A. Lynch; D. Kavanagh, N. Murphy; S. O’Brien, D. Hurley, K. McMahon; J. Masters, D. O’Connor, K. O’Sullivan.
DUBLIN (SF v Cork):S Cluxton; P Griffin, R McConnell, D Henry; B Cahill, B Cullen, G Brennan; D Magee, C Whelan; C Keaney, A Brogan, C Moran; T Quinn, J Sherlock, B Brogan.
ROBERT EMMETT’S (LONDON) (IHC v Killimordaly (Galway): C. Buckley (Banteer, Cork); L. Mannix (Fermoy, Cork) , S. McLoughlin (St Jude’s, Dublin), C. O’Murchu (An Rinn, Waterford); B. Foley (Charleville, Cork), F. McMahon (Kildalkey, Meath), J. Dillon (Effin, Limerick); T. Callaghan (Cork), E. Carey (Mullinahone, Tipperary); S Kelly (Gortnamona, Antrim), J. Ryan (Fr. O’Neill’s, Cork), B. Keane (Loughrea, Galway); S. Quinn (Gortnamona, Antrim), J. Quinlan (Cork), M Traynor (Loughgiel, Antrim).
CORK VEC (SH v Galway): A O’Reilly (St Colman’s); G Twomey (St Brogan’s), D Ryan (St Brogan’s) , M Deasy (St Brogan’s) ; G O’Riordan (St Brogan’s), C o’Donovan (St Brogan’s) , C Lordan (St Brogan’s) ; D O’Sullivan (Community College Clonakilty), A Walsh (Colaiste Treasa Kanturk); L Mc Loughlin (Colaiste Treasa Kanturk), F Keane (St Brogan’s), M O Mahony (Kinsale Community College); D Roche (Coliste Treasa Kanturk), C Sheenan (Coachford College), R Payne (St Brogan’s College).
DUBLIN SFC first round draw: Erins Hope v St Sylvester’s; O’Toole’s v St Maur’s; Ballymun Kickhams v St Jude’s; Raheny v Parnells; Whitehall Colmcille v St Mary’s, Saggart; St Vincent’s v Kilmacud Crokes; Trinity Gaels v Ballyboden St Enda’s; St Brigid’s v Round Towers, Clondalkin; Thomas Davis v Erin’s Isle; Na Fianna v St Mark’s; Garda v UCD; Ballinteer St John’s v Clontarf; St Oliver Plunketts ER v Naomh Olaf; Naomh Mearnog v Fingallians; St Peregrine’s v Naomh Barrog; St Anne’s v Lucan Sarsfields.
