McCarthy names nine debutants

LIMERICK boss Justin McCarthy has handed out nine championship debuts for Sunday’s Munster SHC semi-final against Cork in Páirc Uí Chaoimh and has only been able to call on three of the team that started last August’s All-Ireland semi-final defeat against Tipperary due to the hurling crisis that has raged in the county since the end of last season.

With several of last year’s players either omitted from the squad or having made themselves unavailable under McCarthy’s management, the Limerick boss has been forced into naming an inexperienced championship side. Full-back Dave Breen, left half-back Paul Browne and centre-forward Paudie McNamara are the only survivors from the starting 15 that crashed to defeat against Tipperary last August.

Centre-back Bryan O’Sullivan who captains the side and right half-forward James O’Brien were both introduced as substitutes during that game, while right corner-forward Graeme Mulcahy was a member of last year’s panel.