Walsh bloods Rebel trio for Tipp clash

CORK hurling boss Denis Walsh last night handed out three full championship debuts for Sunday’s Munster quarter-final against Tipperary in Semple Stadium.

There is a first taste of senior inter-county championship action for right corner-back Stephen McDonnell from Glen Rovers who impressed during this spring’s league campaign. Centre-back William Egan and right corner-forward Luke O’Farrell are both thrust into the action from the start for the first time, having made their championship bows with substitute appearances last summer. Overall, the Cork starting 15 has undergone a major overhaul since their last championship outing against Kilkenny in last August’s All-Ireland semi-final, with only eight survivors from that game.

McDonnell, captain Shane O’Neill and Egan all feature in defence instead of Shane Murphy, the injured Ronan Curran and Sean Óg Ó hAilpín. There is a new partnership at midfield in Patrick Cronin and Lorcan McLoughlin with Tom Kenny and Cathal Naughton both starting on the bench.