Star back in Kingdom line-up
And there’s a spot too for Kieran Donaghy who returns from suspension.
O’Flatharta makes his debut at centre back in place of Anthony O’Mahony, while Donaghy is restored to his now regular full forward position.
Diarmuid Murphy is recalled in goal while Daniel Bohane is introduced at right half-forward with Donnacha Walsh moving to the forty and Eoin Brosnan moving out to the left wing ahead of Anthony O’Mahony.
All-Ireland finalists Limerick have made sweeping changes from the side defeated by Galway last time out for Sunday’s Allianz NHL quarter-final with Cork at the Gaelic Grounds.
Brian Murray, team captain Mark Foley, Wayne McNamara, Mike O’Brien, Andrew O’Shaughnessy and Seanie O’Connor are all given first team places with David Bulfin, Damien Cosgrave, Peter Lawlor, Kevin Tobin and Donie Ryan sitting out the start.
Murray takes over from Bulfin in goals with Foley replacing Cosgrave at left half-back. McNamara comes in to partner Donal O’Grady at midfield to the exclusion of Lawlor, O’Brien is re-introduced at right half forward with Niall Moran crossing over to the left wing in place of Kevin Tobin. O’Shaughnessy is picked at right corner forward with O’Connor taking over the full forward duties from Brian Begley and Pat Tobin moving corners from top of the right as Ryan drops out altogether.
Galway manager Liam Sammon has made just one change from the side that played brilliantly against Derry last weekend for Sunday’s Allianz NFL local derby against Mayo in Castlebar. Paul Doherty of Tuam Stars will make his first League appearance of the season in goal in place of regular Adrian Faherty.
Wexford will be without underage star Shane Roche for their Division 3 top-of-the-table clash in Fermanagh on Sunday because of his involvement with the county’s Under 21 side who meet Kildare in the final of the Leinster championship at Wexford Park. Waterford have made two changes from the side that narrowly lost to Offaly last weekend for Sunday’s Allianz NFL clash with Carlow at Dr Cullen Park.
Tom Wall takes over in goal from Stephen Enright, while Stephen Cunningham is named at top of the right in place of Tony Grey. Injury doubts surround full back Tomas O’Gorman and midfielder Gary Hurney even though both have been named in the team.
Meanwhile banned Dublin statistician Ray Boyne, who will not be appealing his punishment, will be free to attend as many games as he likes during the course of his 16 week suspension, according to GAA Central Competitions’ Control Committee (CCCC) chairman Jimmy Dunne.
“The suspension means that Ray Boyne cannot have any role with the Dublin team such as carrying out videos of matches, providing statistics for the team-management, or sitting in the team-management area during matches,” explained Dunne. “But he will be perfectly entitled to attend matches in a private capacity.”
The Dubs open the defence of their provincial title on June 9th against Louth. And if they overcome that hurdle, they will face either Longford, Westmeath or Offaly at the semi-final stage, on June 29th, with the Leinster final pencilled in for July 20th.
Meanwhile, Birr ace Brian Whelahan will be free to play in his club’s opening defence of their county championship at the end of this month, despite having received a straight red card in the closing stages of the All-Ireland Club final against Portumna.
It is understood that Whelahan has been handed a four week ban dating from St Patrick’s Day, and that means he will be re-eligible to play on Monday April 14.
Whelahan, who will be 37 in August, has not yet decided on his hurling future, revealing last week that he wasn’t going to make a decision which he might regret afterwards.
B. Murray; D. Reale, S. Lucey, S. Hickey; M. O’Riordan, P. O’Dwyer, M. Foley; D. O’Grady, W. McNamara; M. O’Brien, O. Moran, N. Moran; A. O’Shaughnessy. S. O’Connor, P. Tobin.
P. Doherty; K. Fitzgerald, F. Hanley, D. Burke; G. Sice, N. Coyne, D. Mullaly; N. Coleman, B. Cullinane; J. Berrgin, P. Joyce, D. Meehan; M. Clancy, M. Meehan, F. Breathnach.
D. Murphy; P. Reidy, M. O’Se, T. O’Sullivan; T. O’Se, R. O’Flatharta, T. Griffen; D. O’Se, S. Scanlon; D. Walsh, E. Brosnan, A. Maher; D. O’Sullivan, T. Walsh, B. Sheehan.
A. Masterson; N. Murphy, P. Wallace, B. Malone; A. Morrissey, D. Murphy, C. Morris; B. Doyle, C. Byrne; P. J. Banville, R. Barry, A. Flynn; C. Lyng, J. Hudson, M. Forde.
T. Wall; M. O’Gorman, T. O’Gorman, J. Walsh; E. Rockett, S. Briggs, J. Phelan; G. Hurney, M. Ahern; T. O’Lionnain, G. Power, P. Hurney; S. Cunningham, A. Hubbard, C. Power.
