Back to the future as 10 Rebels back in fray

TEN of the Cork team that started in last August’s semi-final defeat to Kilkenny, were named in the starting 15 last night for Cork’s NHL Division One trip to Clare on Sunday.

Cork interim boss John Considine has named a strong side for duty, with Diarmuid O’Sullivan, Brian Murphy, Sean Óg Ó hAilpín, Jerry O’Connor and Joe Deane the absentees from last year’s championship team. None of that quintet feature on the bench, with fellow 2008 panel members Eoin Cadogan, Kevin Hartnett, Neil Ronan and Kieran ‘Fraggy’ Murphy being introduced in their place.

There had been some confusion last night over whether O’Sullivan would play at full-back but Considine confirmed that Cadogan will don the no.3 jersey. Elsewhere Hartnett starts at left half-back, Ronan plays at full-forward and Murphy is named at left corner-forward.

Sarsfields Conor O’Sullivan is picked at left corner-back and is the only member of the Cork side who played in the opening three rounds of this year’s league to make the starting 15. Chris Murphy, Barry Johnson and Tadhg Óg Murphy are all listed amongst the substitutes.

Clare senior boss Mike McNamara has made three changes in personnel to his side for the Cork match and a number of positional switches. Conor McMahon is named at right-corner back, Pat Vaughan moves to midfield with Waterford IT Fitzgibbon Cup star Enda Barrett dropping to the bench. Vaughan is joined at midfield by captain Brian O’Connell who features for the first time this season, with Jonathan Clancy linking up with the attack.

Ger Arthur is at right corner-forward in a revamped full-forward line that also features Colin Ryan and Barry Nugent. Niall Gilligan and Alan Markham both drop to the bench.

Tipperary boss Liam Sheedy has made three changes for Sunday’s NHL tie against Kilkenny. Conor O’Brien starts at right corner-back, Brendan Maher at midfield and Tony Scroope is named at right corner-forward. The trio come in to the team at the expense of Paddy Stapleton, Thomas Stapleton and Willie Ryan, who are all unavailable through injury.

Meanwhile Adrian Power and Jerome Maher will make their first league starts of the season for Waterford against Dublin in the NHL Division 1 on Sunday. Power replaces Clinton Hennessy in goals, while Maher gets the nod at corner-back with Noel Connors making way.

Aidan Kearney comes in at full-back as Declan Prendergast is suspended, while Eoin Kelly rejoins the attack at full-forward, with Jack Kennedy switching to the corner and Shane Walsh dropping to the bench.

Wexford boss Colm Bonnar has announced an unchanged side for their NHL Division 2 clash with Westmeath on Sunday while double All-Ireland senior winner Anthony Cunningham has been appointed the new Galway U21 hurling manager.

CORK (SH v Clare): D Og Cusack; S O’Neill, E Cadogan, C O’Sullivan; J Gardiner, R Curran, K Hartnett; T Kenny, C Naughton; B O’Connor, N McCarthy, P Cronin; P Horgan, N Ronan, K Murphy (Sarsfields). Subs: M Coleman, C Murphy, K McGann, G Callanan, B Johnson, K Murphy (Erins Own), T Óg Murphy, B Corry, P O’Sullivan.

CLARE (SH v Cork): P Brennan; C McMahon, C Dillon, G O’Grady; B Bugler, G Quinn, P Donnellan; B O’Connell, P Vaughan; T Griffin, D McMahon, J Clancy; G Arthur, B Nugent, C Ryan.

TIPPERARY (SH v Kilkenny): B Cummins; C O’Brien, D Fanning, P Curran; B Dunne, C O’Mahony, D Fitzgerald; B Maher, S McGrath; N McGrath, S Callanan, J Woodlock; T Scroope, J O’Brien, P Kelly.

WATERFORD (SH v Dublin): A Power; J Maher, A Kearney, E Murphy; R Foley, M Walsh, J Murray; S O’Sullivan, J Nagle; G Hurney, K McGrath, S Prendergast; J Kennedy, E Kelly, S Molumphy. Subs: C Hennessy, T Browne, J Hurney, S Walsh, D Shanahan, T Ryan, M Shanahan, P Murray, S Casey.

WEXFORD (SH v Westmeath): D. Fitzhenry; B. O’Leary; R. Kehoe, A. O’Connell; M. Jacob, C. Kenny, M. Travers; C. Farrell, D. Redmond; S. Banville, E. Quigley, D. Lyng; S. Doyle, R. Jacob, N. Kirwan.